..."man, I don't like her"...
- Bye, Mamas. See you next time. - Kai said, hugged Pinoe and Sky for the last time until they saw each other again.
- See ya, baby. - They kissed his temples.
What a fine-looking family, huh?
- Chris, Toby will take you home. - Pinoe said all of a sudden, which made me wanna throw a chair at her.
"Bitch! You are not fucking helping!" - I mentally cussed at her.
- No, Pinoe! The fuck are you doing?! - I apparently mouthed those words while waving my hands behind Christen's back to signal her to call that stupid fucking suggestion off, cos I was not emotionally prepared for nerve-wrecking shits such as sitting two feet apart from my almost-twenty-year crush for nearly one hour.
Lord did I wanna scream in Pinoe's fucking face.
Christen then turned around. After taking a quick glance at me, she turned back and told Pi:
- Tobin should go home and rest. I can take a cab.
My heart suddenly felt so sad after hearing that from her, but on the other hand, I smiled in relief. Not that I didn't want to drive her home, because if she wanted, I would be her personal driver for the rest of my existence. However, it was just what I wished for us in that moment, because I thought sitting in the same car with me for nearly an hour drive could possibly make her uncomfortable and suffocated. And I didn't wanted to make her life anymore difficult, since I had unfortunately done that enough.
- She can take you to waffle house to have breakfast if you want. - Pi literally ignored me and added that to the conversation that absolutely no one asked for.
- Fuck you! - I mouthed, raised my middle finger at her.
- What did you say? Oh, you wanna take Heather to Disneyland? - she entirely made that up after pretending like she could hear my inner voice which was basically not even mine in the first place.
Chris finally acknowledged that Pi was just initiating the whole thing for me without me even asking, so she let out a little laugh and slightly shook her head because she was just so done with Pinoe.
She then turned to Heather and gently said after gave a hand out for her daughter to hold.
- Baby, let's go. Say goodbye to everyone and we'll go home to Grandpa.
- Mommy, can I stay here with Hermie and Kai? - sweet little angel asked, which got all of us surprised.
None of us would have expected all of them would become this close so fast. I think it's the mentality of this sisterhood that passed on to our next generation. It warmed my heart that Hermione was actually holding on to Heather and pleading Chris to agree to her stay by the look in her eyes.
- Next time, ok? Everyone is tired. - Chris softly convinced.
- Just a little bit. Please. - Heather pleaded so desperately.
- Heather. - Chris let out a little sigh.
- When is next time? We will never come back. - the little girl said, which was like a sharp knife cut through my heart.
What Heather told expressed the sadness in the child's voice. She must love this place so much, and also the people that she deserved to get to know and grow up with were all here.
I looked over to Chris and there was only this emptiness in her eyes. She didn't reacted to her daughter's words because she wanted to apologize more than any other words that could possibly be spoken, however, she didn't deny it out loud because what the child said was the truth.
But the thing is... they would never come back here again. The thing is... this was the only form of punishment that Christen Press could ever give me. And in order to do that, she also agreed to be punished with me as well, to never come back to the actual place that truly captured her heart.
- Let her stay here with her cousins, Chris. They love each other. - Ali to the rescue.
- But... - Chris hesitated.
As if Ashlyn could read what's in Chris's mind, she instantly added to Ali's words:
- Not bothering at all. This house is already a full-time childcare on its own so one more kid is not a problem.
- This is actually true. Jack and William are here all the time when something unexpected comes up. Except, Ash and Ali don't get paid. - Crystal chimed in.
- She's right. Don't be apologetic about this. - Julie reassured.
- My kids looooove being here also. They're like obsessed with Kai and Hermie, so that's why there is a bedroom that's big enough for ten people. - Syd pointed to the direction of where the room was.
When Syd said it's big enough for ten people, it really is big enough for ten people. Ash and Ali combined two King size beds to make it for the kids to have sleepovers. It was Melvin's idea and it was actually the best idea ever. But Ash was planning on expanding the room and bringing in another bed since Melvin and Alyssa had already reserved two spots for their twins.
- Still, it's very... - Chris felt puzzled about bothering the A Team.
- I'll drive her home whenever she wants, so don't worry, ok? - Ash quickly reinforced that she and Ali would take care of everything.
Chris slightly exhaled and smiled.
- Thanks you guys. - she finally gave it.
- Yayyyyy!!!! - the kids celebrated with each other. The way they loved each other so much made me smile and somehow teared up a little bit.
Seeing them being happy about sleepovers and spending time with doing something that only themselves found interesting and understood with each other made me miss soccer camps profoundly.
I love how we would just play soccer and didn't need to worry about any other things in this world. Trained together for the tournament. Played every match with everything we had as if we were putting our lives on the line. Traveled far away from home and only had each other to lean on, cry and laugh with. And... we would hook up with one of the teammate because we were lonely, missing home, just went through a terrible breakup, only simply horny. Or... there were some unexpected situations where we would genuinely love the shit out of a teammate without them knowing, would secretly take care of them, be jealous when someone flirted with them, but eventually, love like that always ended up unfinished and broken-hearted.
We were just kids who lived as if there was no tomorrow. It was hard, but at least we were genuinely laughing and truly happy.
- You be a good girl, ok? - Chris knelt down, fixed Heather's shirt so it would be even, and then rubbed her head as she softly smiled.
Reminding myself that one of those teammates was a mother now. A wonderful and loving mother.
- Yes, mommy. I promise. - Heather excitingly responded.
- I love you. - Chris leaned in and gave her a cute smooch on the lips.
- I love you more. - she gave her mother a little hug.
When we thought we could parted now, it's Sky's turn to cling to Chris inseparably. Their friendship was the most random but cutest. I was even more heartbroken for Sky that Chris wouldn't be here long enough for them so share all the things that they'd gone through in all these years.
- Sky. - Megan pulled her elbow.
- What, Megan? - Sky gave her wife a look to say back off and not bother her and Christen's farewell moment.
- Let's go, wifey. What the hell are you doing? You have a doctor appointment in 20 minutes, come on baby. - of course, Megan Rapinoe would go all soft for Skylar, even when she's nagging.
Pinoe had been tremendously serious about Skylar's health; therefore, she could miss and postpone her general checkup every half of a year but not Skylar's. She wished for Skylar to live as long as a woman could ever live. Imagine how exhausting it must be for Sky who is a non-athlete to marry to an athlete who took accountability for health matters very seriously like Pinoe?
- But, Meg... - Sky kinda teared up a little, which made we all felt something inside.
- Skylar, she's not going anywhere, I promise. - Pinoe comforted her.
- Well, she's the one that has to promise, not you. - Sky gave Pi an unpleasant look.
- Sky, I promise. - Chris patted her hand reassuringly.
- Why do I have to believe you, bastard? - Sky asked.
It was so difficult for her. She would never let Chris go without knowing the exact place where she could come and find her again. In Skylar, we all trust.
- You have her number, and email. You can contact her however you want, whenever you want. - Pinoe tried to get her going again.
- She can change them like she used to do. - Sky argued.
- You even have her home address in Paris, Sky. Please. - Pi almost knelt on the ground to beg.
- What if she gave me a fake one? - Sky looked like she was doubting everything, and even her own existence.
- It's verified by Papa Press, honey. You literally just called him to confirm and he never ever lies. - Pinoe was so desperate to the point she had to pull Chris's father in.
- But what if he lies this time, Megan I...
I saw her grip on Chris's arm even tighter than one second ago, and also Chris rubbed her bestfriend's hand to reassure her that they would be fine, it would all be fine and she would never make it seem like she evaporated again.
- Skylar. Stop doing that, would you? - Pinoe fixed her wife's hair and sweetly asked with extreme worries in her voice.
- Ok, Ok. I believe Papa Press, but what if this bitch moves house? - Sky pointed at Chris's face.
- I won't go anywhere that you cannot find, Skylar. - Chris's voice seemed like she was about to break down after knowing and feeling how hard it must have been for Skylar in all those years.
- Promise? - Sky's shaky voice asked.
- Promise. - Chris nodded, gave Sky a little reinforcing kiss on the temple.
- Can we go now? - Pinoe quickly took her chance and pulled Sky out of Chris.
- Ok, but we'll meet again! - she shouted back while being dragged out of the house by Pinoe.
- Yes, we definitely will. I'll stay here for 3 weeks or a month. - Chris talked after her with a smile that contained guilt and gratefulness.
- I need a lie detector! - Sky yelled while holding on to the framedoor so she could say a few more words to her bestfriend, which got all of us howling.
- Hurry up, Sky. Pinoe's waiting for you. - Syd flew 100 miles/hour to Pinoe to give her a hand, but apparently Sky seemed to have koala paws which were hard to separate.
- Babe! Come on! I'll chop her legs off if she ever does that to you again, so do not worry. Ok? - Pi was so done with her wife.
All I could do was laughed. I bet their marriage life was just so easy and excellently controlled.
- Don't you dare touch my best friend! - Sky yelled in Pi's face, which made Pi become obedient like a little puppy and let her go, she also slapped Syd's hand off of her wife.
- I'm sorry, honey. I would never. - Pi pouted.
Sky somehow found it cute every time she did that, or pretended like she's a little bean that needed protection and love, and on the other hand, I was just wholeheartedly disgusted by all of that. Maybe I had been single for too long.
- Ok. Let's go. We'll meet tomorrow. I've already booked Chris the whole day just for you. - Pi finally said what Sky wanted to hear most.
She slapped Pinoe's shoulder and blamed:
- Why didn't you say it earlier?!
- I'm sorry, babe. - Pi scratched her head and idiotically smiled to her wife.
I shook my head but couldn't stop grinning. My cheeks hurt from all the laughter and smiles. All of them were even more chaotic than when us of 10 or 15 years ago. When would my bestfriends become real adults, God? But also God, hear me out please, I love these idiots to death.
-----------------------------
7 minutes had passed and still none of us decided to talk to one another. I couldn't stand the silence even though the level of awkwardness was still magically bearable. Therefore, I talked to her first.
- How was life over there? You know you didn't speak French so it must have been hard, huh?
I tried to be funny here. What do you think? Did I succeed or I tried way too hard?
- Nothing can stop me. Not even language barriers.
My lips spontaneously cracked a smile.
I knew Chris. I had always known. You're forever a star and I had never in my life either had doubts in you or stopped being so proud of you.
- But ya know... at least it's easier than loving someone.
She threw me a look of teasing. I couldn't help but shook my head. I entirely surrendered. Her sarcasm, her Queen behavior, her everything, I could never win.
- You know loving someone is soooooo hard right? But loving Tobin Heath is one thousand times even harder.
- Stop making fun of me, Christen Press. - I laughed.
- Have you tried dating someone?
Her question made me click my tongue out of fear.
Please, why would I ask for more pain to be added when I'd already had you swirling up my stupid heart this whole time?
- I mean... not voluntarily, but... - I shrugged.
- It's Pinoe, isn't it? - she laughed.
- Actually, Skylar gave the idea without anyone asking for. And then Ash and Ali picked it up, also without anyone asking for. Then finally, Pinoe dragged me out of my house and drove there. - I chuckled while shaking my head.
My friends are a bunch of idiots who I love so dearly.
I mean... good intentions, sweet thoughts, but no, thanks.
- Were you angry? - Chris asked, tilted her head.
She knew me too well to ask questions like this huh?
Instead of asking if I was excited, or if it was fun and successful, she went straight to me being frustrated for being forced to do so.
- You know I, - I crackled at my self and continued the sentence, - I never get angry at anything.
- Right. - she shrugged, laughed at me along with me.
- What was... ya know... on your mind when you met... ya know... the person? - she scratched her head and looked out the window.
I smiled to the fact that she actually cared how I exactly felt when I met someone that wasn't her.
- The first thought ever? - I ensured.
- Yeh. - Chris nodded, her cheeks slightly turned pink, which was cute as fuck.
I clicked my tongue as if I was too bored for shit and spoke like I was complaining about the whole damn thing:
- "Man, I don't like her. Can I go home now?"
And by "I don't like her", I don't mean I don't like her in a way of not liking one's appearance or personality since we barely knew each other and I didn't even know her name, but "I don't like her" means I like someone else, so I'm not interested in anyone at that moment but that particular person. I can be cold-hearted once in awhile but I'm not at all a mean person.
Her face lightened up immediately as soon as she heard that, which made me chuckle. Christen might try to act like an adult all she wanted, but sometimes, her excitement that blew her cover and showed her childlike side. I love it.
But, was she that happy when she heard I wasn't interested in another woman? Where had her feminist energy gone? Aren't women supposed to support other women?
- You wanna hear my last ever thought? - I slightly rubbed the steering wheel and asked.
Christen shyly nodded while trying to hide her impossible-to-be-hidden big smile.
- I didn't have one, because I also left five seconds after Pinoe left.
- Huh? - she looked irresistibly cute when she tilted her head, slightly frowned and pursed her lips while confusion was all over her face.
We're too old to say or to be called this, but gosh she was the cutest thing ever.
But her being surprised surprised me. I thought she had figured it out. Of course, I would leave rightaway. How could I betray my love for her to be with another woman? I would never. Never thought about it and never will do.
- Yeh. I told her that my girlfriend just passed away and I was still grieving, but my friends were worried for me so they organized this to hopefully help me feel better. I would take all the blame because my friends were incredible people, and I was sorry that I made the atmosphere uncomfortable, but I would have a mental breakdown in ten seconds because looking at her reminded me of my girlfriend when she was alive, so would she excuse me, I had to go? And then I left and never came back. And I never know her name. - I laughed at myself.
- Tobin Heath lied?
- Yes, I sure did. - I chuckled.
- Wow. What an accomplishment.
- Thank you so much. That's actually my hidden talent. - I responded.
She was smiling throughout, and I was so happy that just that little thing could make her so happy.
Let's do it again, Christen Press. I would try to make you laugh, and you would cooperate.
For this time and forever, I love you, woman.
Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: ZingTruyen.Store