The Biggest Game is Life

Chapter One (Moonshine)

“God Damn it!” I hear coming from a couple feet behind me. I see Levi flinging a cow patty off of his shoe.

“I just bought these.” He complains looking down at his white Nikes. I sigh.

“Maybe you shouldn’t be such a city boy.” I laugh as I keep walking through the grass. It was a nice crisp Saturday morning. The skies were blue and the sun was out. I thought I could stand and look out over the pasture forever, until the cold hit me.

“Benny you there?” Levi waved his hand in front of my face.

“I can’t feel my fucking face, let’s hurry up.” He yells.

“I’m glad you aren’t this whinny out on the ice.” I say as I walk up to the old red barn and think of hockey practice Monday night. I slowly open the huge doors and go in. I go over and grab a pitch fork and stick it in a bale of hay. I walk over to the other side where I open a small door and am greeted by Moonshine. She’s an all brown Friesian horse and absolutely beautiful. I lay down the hay and scratch her nose.

“It smells so bad in here.” I hear Levi as he walks over slowly trying to not touch a single thing.

“It’s not that bad. Is it Moonshine?” I say as I scratch her some more.

“Stop talking to your dumb ass horse and let’s go.”

I shake my head and give Moonshine one last good pat as I shut the small doors.

“Levi you’re the real ass here.” I say as I exit the barn.

“Sorry that I have a real girlfriend and a real life.” Levi smirks. I hold in my anger.

“You’re just jealous that Moonshine is prettier than your own girl.”  I close the barn doors. Proud of my comeback.

“Fuck you Benny, Kennedy is probably the hottest girl in the school hands down. Ask anyone and that’s what they’ll say.” Levi rubs his black pointed hair back. He uses more hairspray to get it to stand up than my sister uses.

“Kennedy is very beautiful when she doesn’t look like an orange raccoon.” I laugh. Levi doesn’t find it funny and speeds up ahead towards my grey truck.

“Why the hell are you in such a rush?” I ask stumbling to catch up.

“Sometimes Benny I wanna give you a good beating.” He opens the passenger door and slams in shut.

I sigh again. At least I’m able to hold in my anger, Levi on the other hand is a whole different story.  I open my door and slowly get in.

“To the party now?” I ask.

Levi doesn’t reply as I start the truck and drive out from the long gravel road.

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                We arrive at Cam’s birthday party twenty minutes later. Cam was a friend of ours on the team. We all played for the Troy Titans. It was a junior league we were all in. Nothing too extreme for the small city in Ohio.

Levi got out of the truck and went in without me. He hadn’t spoken one word to me since. I was kind of glad.

I entered the average city house and was greeted by Cams mom.

“Oh Ben so glad you came.”

“Well Mrs. Wheeler I’ve been coming every year now, wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

“I’m so glad to hear that.” She stares at my boots eye wide.

“I promise there is nothing on them.” I smile as I walk through the hall. Every birthday, Cams mom had family and close friends come over. No matter how old and embarrassed Cam became.