Home Is Where The Heart Is

Part 14

Natalie Ross

What is this. What is this. The thought ran in my mind over and over again.

It was 1 am. And I was laying on my bed staring at the ceiling. It was the first Friday night since school started. I didn't have a tournament so naturally my body and brain decided sleep would be irrelevant.

While I was wondering what the lack of sleep was all about, I was mostly wondering what the deal was with a random kid from school was doing blowing up my phone.

I hadn't even bothered to open it up yet. But despite being 1 in the morning there was a new message coming in every minute or so.

After ten minutes if this going on I finally decided I was going to put a stop to this. I rolled over and picked up my phone.

@caesar.rodriguez78-10 new messages

Holy mackerel, I thought to myself. What does this kid want at 1 in the morning?

I opened up my Instagram app and went to my DMs. I clicked on his name to see what was he had to say. As soon as I did I was even more surprised than I had been before. The 10 messages he had sent me were not short. This was 10 character maxed messages.

I groaned and rolled back to where I had been before, this time my phone in hand. I scrolled to the top of his messages. I didn't really read them as I scrolled up, but there was definitely some colorful language.

Wow. This should be interesting.

I got to the top and started to read what he had said. His 10 messages rant went something along these lines.

1. I have a plan for my life. It started in 7th grade and nothing is going to stop me from achieving it.

2. Cache Littman has been the girl I've liked since 5th grade.

3. I've seen you talking to her and I don't need a -------- like you to screw that up.

I read the messages over a few times. Most of it was exaggeration and repetition. But the three keys points were there.

I sighed. I liked being out, but there was crap like this that came with it. But Cache was straight, and I had litterally only actually met her this week, so this kid needed to calm himself.

I didn't feel like dealing with Caesar and whatever he was saying, so I blocked the account, turned off my phone, and went back to staring at my ceiling. After what felt like an eternity, I finally fell asleep.

⚫

I woke up around 8:00 a.m. I quickly decided I wanted to do something today. Normally I would have practice on a Saturday morning but the coaches still weren't coordinated since the other day.

Near the school there was a complex with a grocery store, a soda shop, a McDonald's and a few other little stores. It was the hot spot for most the kids at the school. Including Mackenzie, Henry, Micah, and me.

I texted our group chat and told them to meet up at the complex at 11:00.

Micah: I'll be there. Might not have a ride home. But I will be there.

Henry: Might be a little bit late, but I can get there.

Mackenzie: Yeah absolutely.

I rolled over onto my back. I was glad they were able to go. The complex was exactly what I felt like doing.

I looked at the time on my phone. 8:35. Maybe I should have said 10:00. I sighed. I still had over 2 hours.