Chapter 10

Soccer with Autumn was not a good thing. All she did when practice began was complain and whine and complain some more. At first it was I enjoyed it because it annoyed Damon, but it sure as hell annoyed me too. I tried ignoring her by focusing hard on my team.

"So our first game is this Saturday and you all need to be there by ten, okay?" I tell them. "Greg, I believe you are bringing the snacks and Gabby you're bringing the juice."

They both nodded.

"Oh my God, this practice is taking forever," Autumn's high pitched voice carried across the field.

I gritted my teeth. "Okay then," I say trying to sound calm. "Let's do some scrimmaging. Hannah take the goal and the far end and Davy take the goal on the other side. Penny's are with Hannah and shirts are with Davy." I say as I assign them a team.

I watched the team scrimmage, blowing my whistle when I had to and trying to block out Autumn's voice. Parents soon began to arrive and I called game. I seriously believe I have a decent team here, I thought with more optimism than I usually allow myself to feel.

When all the parents have picked up their kids, I picked up the things that were left behind. "Gabby left her ball here yet again," I say to myself.

Just then Damon walks over to me. "Ready? Autumn's wanting to go," he says.

I frown. Why's he in such a hurry? Autumn's been annoying me this whole time and she wasn't even talking to me. I guess when you're annoying you can't tell when someone else is. I smiled. Damon's immune to Autumn. Ha! They'd make a splendid couple.

Damon gives me a strange look and I realize that I'm smiling for no apparent reason. "Actually, I think I'll walk home when I'm ready," I say.

Damon opened his mouth and closed it. For a second I thought he might oppose the idea of me walking home and leaving him alone with Autumn. Nope. Like I said, he must be immune to it. "Fine," he said and walked off.

I quickly glanced over my shoulder and see Autumn link her arm through Damon's. Yep, I say grinning, what a couple they'd make.

I threw Gabby's ball down and decided to play a little. I dribbled the ball down the field as I remembered when Dad taught me. I even spent time just shooting goals. It was sort of like meditating, out here by myself. Soon though, it got darker and I figured I had better head home since I was walking.

I carried Gabby's ball under one arm as I began walking. With nothing better to do, I let my mind drift. I had forgotten how much I missed soccer. I loved soccer. But since soccer always reminded me of him, I quit. And instead of doing absolutely nothing, I traded soccer for softball. I had to have some outlet other than getting into fights and hitting a softball helped.

I also realized that I needed to stop living in the past. Maybe I should put a little more effort in pretending I care, in being normal.

A car blared it's horn and I jumped, spinning around and forgetting my thoughts. Joey's car pulled up beside me.

"You know if this is going to be a regular occurrence, you may need to rethink your strategy," he said as he rolled down the passenger window.

I shot him a blank look.

"I keep finding you wandering alone looking lost," he elaborated.

"I'm not lost," I retorted. "I was just deep in thought."

Joey raised his eyebrows. It actually looked comical. I laughed. "What?" he asked, a slight smile on his lips.

"Nothing," I reply. I quit laughing.

"You're not normal," he remarks. Now it's my turn to raise my eyebrows. He realizes that I want him to explain, but he doesn't. Instead he just says, "Fuck, I'm not going to try to explain what I mean, just get in the car and I'll give you a ride home."

I surprise us both when I agree and jump into the car.

"Wow, I was expecting a fight or something," Joey quips.

I grin at him and see his expression change just briefly. It somehow softened but then it turned blank. "You better not make this a habit of yours, pulling along side of the road to offer me a ride home. I may begin to expect it," I say. Oh, God what is wrong with me?

Joey shots me a quizzical look. "Would that be a bad thing?" he asks.

Now I've gotten myself into a corner and I don't see how I can get myself out of this one. It's too personal. And then I remember what James said, "Oh, but he likes you Shortie, believe me when I say he does.

Damn James! I was too embarrassed to utter a retort that I just shrugged.

Joey wasn't done discussing it however. "Would you want me to give you rides? To school or to practice or something?" he asks looking at me.

I didn't know what to say. "Just keep your eyes on the road, Matthews. I'm not sure I trust how you drive," I say. Well, at least that was something, right?

Joey laughs but I sense a bit of sadness or disappointment behind it as he concentrates on driving. I wasn't going to try to decipher what all this might mean. I would get so dizzy and confused and it wouldn't be worth the headache in the end.

"How come you don't go out for soccer?" Joey asks suddenly.

"Huh?"

He takes his eyes of the road again. "I know you coach fourth graders. And you used to play too. So why did you quit?" he asks.

Why did he have to ask that question? "Do you really have to know?" I ask a little testy.

Joey looks at me again. "Oh, it was your dad wasn't it," he stated. "Damn it!" he mutters suddenly.

I stare at him. I didn't know what had gotten into him all of a sudden. James' voice lurks behind my thoughts but I try to push it away.

"I'm sorry, Faye, I know you don't like to talk about it," Joey says. Whoa, he's apologizing now?

Joey pulls up by my house and I open the door in a hurry to get out. "Sometimes you really throw me off my guard you know that?" I tell him as I get out. I didn't wait around for a reply but made my way up to the house.

When I entered, Damon was the first thing I had to see. He was sitting on the couch with a ridiculously huge book in his lap but he looked up when I walked in. "Oh, you found your way home after all," he states. Does he not have anything to do but piss me off?

"Wouldn't want to disappoint you," I quip farther into the living room and throwing my things down.

Damon stands up and walks toward me. "Good," he says and suddenly we're pretty close. There's still space between us but it's closer than I would like or should allow. I probably should do something about the fact we're standing close but I don't. He's probably trying intimidating me.

"I wouldn't want your brother to murder me because something happened to you," he remarks.

Oh he was just asking for it! I punched his gut to find realize how hard his abs are. He grinned at me and I realized that he was expecting my reaction and he flexed his muscles. I stomp my foot in frustration. I habit I'm starting to develop when I'm around Damon so it seems.

"You shouldn't be hitting people, it isn't very nice," he stated.

I snort and push past him going into the kitchen. I went to the sink and filled up a glass of water. Unfortunately, Damon followed me. I turned around when I heard him come in but I wasn't going to acknowledge his presence. I took several sips until it was nearly empty. It was then, as I was drinking the rest of the contents in my cup that Damon decides to speak.

"So Joey Matthews finally confessed his admiration and unending love for you?" he asks.

Well, that surprised me! Needless to say, I started choking.

A/N: So I'mback and I leave you with a cliffhanger. I'm not sure if anyone's still going to read this story anymore since it's been a long long time. But if you happen to be reading it, you may notice a difference in my writing. That's because it's been nearly two years to update...or maybe longer than that.

As always, please be kind and review!