South || Benny Rodriguez (Book 2)

8

Naomi's P.O.V.

Flashback

July 7, 1962

It's been about a week since I've been here. I started to work as their coach/manager and also at the store. It is own by an old hockey player himself, we call him Han.

We're still staying at the Conways home, but I work around the apartment while Mrs. Conway is working at the diner.

It was now Saturday, meaning another practice was going to happen later on today. But as of right now, we were all walking around some town that Charlie wanted to show us.

I wish that I could have stayed back in Utah. I mean I was making 5 an hour. That's way more then most were making now, having that job was probably my best job.

We walked into a sports store, where all the best equipment was. We always go into these stores, theses were the stores that we knew we weren't going to buy anything since we had our own store, but went into anyways.

"Well, everything in here is a lot of money, but it's one of my favorite stores." Charlie said as he opened the door and let all of us in.

I look at the hockey wall seeing skates, jerseys, sticks, pucks, everything. I walk over to the wall, then seeing a pair of skates that looked really nice. The second I saw the price, $54.90, I was thinking.

I do need skates to be help teach them. I do have a lot of money and a job. I mean what's really the harm, it's not like I'm buying them and never using them.

"You thinking about getting them?" I heard behind me. Charlie stood there, "Why don't you go to our store?"

I shrugged, "Probably a good idea, these are very expensive."

After everyone was done looking at things that we couldn't afford, we all walk out of the store.

As we start talking about whatever came to mind was when I heard something. Sounded like someone yelling at another. I heard it just in the alley close to us, so I followed it.

"Just leave us alone!"

As I reach where I believe is the problem, I see a group of kids. I soon saw that the kids forming the group were hockey players too. I noticed all of them wearing the same thing, wearing a "Hawks" uniform.

I walked up, "Hey!"

They stopped and looked at me, there were only three of them, so if I really wanted to, I could take them down in a heartbeat.

"Listen lady, why don't you run along with you friends there and leave us alone." One said, trying to push me away. As the others followed suit.

I looked over the one standing in front of me, closer at the group behind them, seeing my team.

I crossed my arms, "The name is Naomi and you've done fucked up."

As I walk closer to them, I see the wonder in their eyes. Wondering what was I going to do.

I smile as I notice them starting to back up from me. The first person I get to first, seemed less scared as the rest. He had blonde hair, and bright blue eyes. His hair was styled back and had some gel in it. As he watched me just closer, I took that time to push him down, knocking down from his roller. When he turned around, I saw the back of his jersey saying, 'BANKS'.

"Hey get off of him!" I heard another yell, which caused me to turn around and look at him.

I pushed him down too, thinking it was pretty funny, but added a little show to it as well. I turned him around and jerked my knee in his back, and pressed his face into the cement, "Touch my team again, and I will make you pay."

I got off of him, as they all stand up like they were going to do something, so I gave them that jump scare. Then they jumped, skating away.

"Wow, thanks Naomi." Golberg said.

I smile, "Anytime. Now let's get to practice."

—

"C'mon, listen to me!" I yelled frustrated.

"We're trying to Naomi, but you trying to explain this to us is hard." Guy answer, tiredly.

"You need to get skates Ni." I hear Cam from behind me.

I mumbled curse words to myself.

"You know? I think this is going to end practice tonight. We'll start again tomorrow. Be here at noon." I call out and let them all go to the locker room to change. I sat down on the bench and once again waiting for Charlie.

"Ni, what are we even doing?" Cam asked, now sitting next to me.

"Waiting for Charlie." I answered back, confused why he was even asking.

He sighed, leaning forward and put his arms locked on his legs. He looked at the rink then back at me.

"No, I mean in Minnesota. What are we doing here? I thought we were going to go to California. Get a house with a great big back yard, and a place to play baseball, and it'll ha-" Cam started to rant.

"Cam," I paused, "We're so young man. I mean come on, that dream isn't going to even start till we're older. Hell, I don't even know if that dream will happen, it was a story I told you and Lucy to get a picture of how better life could be without mother." I explained, looking out at the rink.

"So that was a story? You weren't actually thinking about us, just a made up story. Right, so our whole life is a story. Well guess what Naomi. I wanna go home! I wanna be with my friends, I wanna be playing baseball! I hate it here!" He started to yell at me, causing attention from the ones that were coming out of the locker room.

"Cam," I breathed out.

"No Naomi listen!" He paused, "I have always done what you asked. I was always there. I was doing everything I could to not fall apart like mom did. We played out your stupid dreams, and you've even got to live them. The one dream I have of going to California, I can't have."

"What part of my life was a dream?" I asked back, starting to get annoyed.

"Back when we lived in Florida, who went to Disney world? When we lived in Maine, who was the one always out with friends while I sat home doing homework? When we lived in Washington, who was the one that got to go out and see freaking Canada? When we lived in Indiana, who was the one that got most time with dad before he passed? Who gets it all Naomi? Hell, you got to met Jackie Robinson and Eddie Spanky! What have I got?" He raised his voice even more.

"Don't start with me Cam. Don't you start." I said softly, but with rage behind it.

"You don't get it do you! Let me LIVE SOMETHING! LET ME DO THE THINGS THAT YOU GOT TO DO!" He was now screaming at me.

"YOU HAVE CAMERON! YOU AREN'T THE ONE WHO HAS TO PAY THE BILLS! YOU AREN'T THE ONE WHO HAD TO TAKE CARE OF 3  PEOPLE! YOU WEREN'T THE ONE THAT GOT BEAT DOWNS FROM MOM! YOU WEREN'T THE ONE WHO HAD TO MOVE EVERYTHING FROM INDIANA TO UTAH! AND YOU SURE AS HELL WEREN'T THE ONE THAT HAD TO DEAL WITH THE COPS AND DRIVING HERE FROM UTAH! YOU HAVEN'T WENT THROUGH HALF OF THE SHIT THAT I WENT THROUGH SO BE FUCKING GRATEFUL OF THAT!" I was now screaming at him.

"NONE OF THAT WAS MY FAULT!" He screamed back.

"AND YOU NOT LIVING ISN'T MY FAULT EITHER!" I screamed back.

"YEAH BUT ITS YOUR FAULT WE HAD TO LEAVE INDIANA!" He screamed, but then immediately regretted it, "Naomi, I'm s-"

"If you want to live your dream out so bad, then do it. I would love to see an 11 year old on the streets when I was guiding you the whole time we were. If you need me, you know where to find me." I  walked out of the box making sure to hit his shoulder on the way out.

—