From My Enemy To My Love (boyxboy) ✔

Chapter 53

Chet Watakeekul

It was cold near the living room window and there was snow on the ground outside. In a week it would be Christmas. Vincent was still looking for work. He was at a job interview at that very moment. I couldn't believe no one had hired him yet. He was smart, nice and perfect. I would have hired him on the spot.

I held the soccer ball close to me as I stared out the window at the snow. It was pretty, but I couldn't play soccer in it. I decided to push the furniture in the living room up against one wall so I could play in the house. I was the only one home at the moment and if I put the furniture back to their original spots no one would ever know.

Soon I was dribbling the soccer ball along the cream carpet. There really wasn't much room so I couldn't run, or kick too hard, but that was good practice itself. Control of the ball was important.

I froze when the front door opened. The soccer ball rolled along the carpet and then stopped.

Kannika stared at me from the open doorway, bundled in her coat with a colorful scarf wrapped around her neck and a matching knit hat on her head. Her backpack was strapped on her shoulders. She noted me, the furniture, the soccer ball and then she shook her head.

"You're too obsessed with soccer," she said. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her. She slid her backpack off and tossed it onto the misplaced couch. She took off her boots, gloves, scarf, hat and coat.

"I can't be too obsessed with soccer," I replied. "It's going to be my career."

"You can't play it forever."

I didn't think that was true, but instead I said, "I'm going to be a coach," because that's what I really wanted to do in the first place. She knew that.

She sighed and looked around the room. "I'll help you put the furniture back. Let's do it now so dad or mom don't walk in and you get caught."

I smiled. "Thanks, Kanni."

She helped me move the furniture back. We were careful to match up each piece of furniture back on the grooves it had originally made in the carpet so my parents would never know.

"I think I should warn you," she said when we were almost through.

"Warn me about what?"

"Mom's lost contact with Kiet."

I hadn't expected it to be about my brother. My insides went cold. "That means he's on meth again," I said.

She nodded. "It's only a matter of time now before we hear that he is back in jail. At least when he's in jail, we don't have to worry if he's causing trouble or getting hurt or hurting someone."

That was all true. For the most part, I preferred to forget he even existed, but I couldn't deny there were moments when I wondered if he was okay and hopefully staying out of trouble.

I put the soccer ball back in my room. Kannika followed me and stood in the doorframe.

"Mom's going to take me Christmas shopping today," she said. "I have no idea what to get Vincent. Any suggestions?"

"Hmm," I thought about it. "Just give him a $100 that he can use towards his school books next semester."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not even spending $100 on you. That's way too much."

"School books are expensive though."

"But he got a school loan."

"That he has to pay back with interest."