Vanessa leaned back and shook her arms in the cold suffocating air of the night. I yawned when I exited the van. We had parked across from Baker’s house.

Vanessa walked with such strut and confidence from the front door to the back. Something that resembled a prominent statue that stood tall.

She might be better for this job than I thought. I slowed when I saw Irwin pulling out a black duffel bag of equipment next to Vannessa. He was struggling, as his muscles tensed under the weight of the helmets.

I went over saying, "Hold one side." My hands moved to lift the other side. Irwin pulled away from me in an instant. I froze.

Irwin glanced away saying, "Me good. Me no need no help Driver boy."

Huh?

Irwin pulled himself up straight and tried to look tough with the duffel bag. Where it looked more like it was about to rip his arm off his torso.

I shrugged. "Do you ting'."

Irwin walked off, shifting step for step like some pulsating Strongman winner.

“What’s his name again?” Vanessa asked me, gesturing at Irwin's shrinking back.

“Who, Irwin? He's an idiot.”

Vanessa tilted her head at me. I avoided her curious eyes. “I do not know him that well.” I shrugged. Though it was likely I knew more than I needed to. He might be the thief. That running, that speed, it had to be him.

Donavan, Tallman, and I were there when I saw that thief running away. I returned that laptop for Donavan, and found it odd how he got it in the first place.

Maybe I was thinking too much, but this was a small community, and I knew of no one as fast. It had to be Irwin, but Malt was crazy to recruit him.

I understood the team was struggling for players, but this was a bad idea. Its possible I could have been wrong. It wasn't like I knew everybody in Berryhill. Donavan could not be that desperate, or I hoped he wasn't.

“He is pretty good, him just cut through them like butter,” Vanessa said.

The Doctor Bird's team was bullying the Assassins team. Minutes later, It was like sunlight and nighttime with that matchup as the Assassins were moping the floor with them for some reason. Not sure why, maybe, because there was so much good happening in their favor after Irwin got a touchdown.

The game was called. The Assassins won thirty two to thirty.

Vanessa was on her feet cheering and waving at them. I could not have understood those people getting invested in that sport. It was weird for me. I mean I was happy for them, but this was ridiculous.

Then again—She knocked me out of my wistful thoughts. “Hey, you okay?”

I said, “Yeah.”

“Just tru' you looked bored when we watching them.”

“This is not my sport.” Not to say it was not interesting to watch, but it was hard to understand what the hell I was watching. It was still confusing to me.

She laughed. “I already like it.”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

I frowned. “I did not think you were that easily pleased.”

She shook her head. “I am not actually. Just because I like something does not mean it comes from a place of longing. You can just participate, try new things. It does not have to be your life goal or something."

I snorted, replying, "You have the time to waste with fun and games. I don't."

"So, what, you don't try to enjoy your life?"

"Life is not about enjoying, it's about survival. It—" Damn it, I was doing it again. I withheld my tongue, for she was probably clueless at what I was getting at.

"Let me guess? Dreams are for fools?”

I fidgeted.

Vanessa smirked and laid her hand on my shoulder saying, "Nothing is more soulless than waking up without a passion. Do not work just to work, or make money. Do it because you enjoy it. To live without joy is like, living in a prison. I don't want that for you."

“Ahhhh…” I trailed off in thought. What the hell came out of her mouth? I thought she was an airhead?

Maybe I was the airhead for assuming she was one? I closed my mouth, for I was not going to win this argument. She was from a different life, home and upbringing.

I never was going to relate to that. Gaining it was probably not possible either.

Vanessa turned to me. A sneaky smile on her face, yet I averted her eyes. “Alright, I hear you. I wa' get back home,” I said.

Vanessa nodded. "Amen to that."

“Yo Irwin.” Donavan’s voice. I turned and saw Nodelyn jogging across the grass towards us. The smile on her face fluctuated with each bounce on its fast stride.

She broke to a stop, and it had been a while since I saw her, but I could lie her beauty did not fade with age. It could be said, it matured like fine wine with those dreamy eyes and plush lips.

I shook myself out of my luscious thoughts, and tried to erase them. Focus on money Terry, not women, now was not the time.

Nodelyn looked at all the guys then finally stared at Irwin with shaking limbs. “I did not think you would take so long? I thought you guys would come back in the evening.”

I said, “The party took up the time.”

Nodelyn asked with disgust, “Party?”

Donavan nodded. “Yes, there was a launch party before the match. But hey, guess what?”

Nodelyn made a facial shrug.

“We won,” Donavan said.

Nodelyn almost smiled, but it died quickly. “Congratulations.”

“You should come to the games. See your brother in action. How about it?” Leon asked.

Her eyes cut away. “Naaah, I am not a sports person.” At least Nodelyn and I had something in common. “Ready, because your aunt is worrying about you.”

Irwin tilted his head at her and mumbled something.

“Irwin would you come on,” Nodelyn said.

“Damn, I just arrived. Let me seat and breathe a little,” Irwin said.

What was he, a child? Just go with her, for there was no reason to stay out here.

Nodelyn smiled for some reason. “The more you breathe the stupider you get.”

We burst out laughing aloud. Nodelyn reached and grabbed after his cheeks. He recoiled backward and stared her dead in the face. She frowned. “How you get that cut?”

Irwin rubbed the scar on the lower left side of his chin. He said, “Work hazard?”

She frowned more prominently. “Irwin, come on, I will apply something on that when I get home.”

The guys were snickering pretty loud now. Irwin said, “Nodelyn, I look like pickney? I will come home when I am ready. Besides Donavan wanted me to—help with the equipment.”

Nodelyn turned to Donavan and Donavan said, “I got it. We do not want to hold you up. Your aunt is worried afterall.”

Irwin said, "I gotta go somewhere, so—"

"Irwin!" I called.

Everyone looked at me. Why did I jump into other people's business? I sucked in air and steadied my heart under that surprised glare from Irwin. "It's late. Just go home brother. Nothing nuh da pon road fi you." I should have stopped there, but something possessed me to continue. "Unless you like getting into trouble. Malt can't save you when judgment come."

Donavan's eyes widened. Irwin froze. Nodelyn nodded her head with approval. "Thank you Terry."

I shrugged.

Nodelyn turned to Irwin and grabbed his arm. "See, you need to listen to your elders. Come on, dinner a get cold." She pulled him away, and that stare I got from Irwin, bordered on hatred.

I smiled, for I feared no man.