Lucky For You

11 | Lucky & Hot

   "Brendan?" I lowered my brows before turning my head to the left, watching him and Tilly a few feet away, exchanging several words. By how she was clenching her fists in front of her as she spoke, I knew it wasn't going well.

   My eyes zeroed back in on Vitaly, who continued to watch me expectedly. "I know that he's from your street. He introduced himself a while back."

    He nodded and glanced to Tilly. "He's a good kid. Into football, too. Told him a few things. My sestra disagrees."

    "I know they have problems," I admitted hesitantly, his eyes snapping to mine. "Can you just tell me if it's bad?"

   He shrugged and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Lots of shit is bad. It's different for different people. You just gotta be specific."

   "I guess, but T—"

   "What are we still doing here?" Tilly called out and yawned, stepping toward us. I glanced over her shoulder and saw Brendan idle back, smiling tensely.

   My cheeks warmed and my lips curled inward. "Uh, I told Jared I'd wait for him," I disclosed, seeing her eyes light up as a response.

    "You good if I light a cig while we're waitin,' Coco?" She asked, already stepping away from me and pulling out her pack from her back jean pocket.

   I nodded and watched her do so. "You don't have to wait for me. You can go," I offered softly, smiling to ease her indecision to go.

   Instead, she shoved a cigarette in between her lips and flicked her lighter on, pursing her lips while lighting it. "It's chill, Coco. Now I love you but shut the fuck up." She blew me a kiss once she held onto the now lit cigarette between her fingers.

    "Okay, okay." I raised my hands up in surrender as Vitaly stepped around me, grabbing another cigarette from Tilly's pack.

   She fought him and cussed in Russian, but after a few minutes, she gave him one and grumbled to herself while Brendan walked around them and toward me.

   We both leaned against the wall, him on my right.

   "You said what you wanted to say?" I mumbled, so only he could hear.

   His only response was a snort before the door on the far right, clicked open, followed by roars of laughter following. Without thinking or saying anything else, I pushed myself off the wall before twisting my body toward the far end of the stadium.

   I watched as Jared's teammates stepped out through the small doorway, but the first one I noticed was Alden—who's green eyes were scanning the parking lot before glancing in my direction.

    He dropped his gym bag and lifted his arms wide, his teammates walking around him with amused expressions. "Sunshine! I'm thinking I deserve a fucking hug."

   "You deserve a hug?" I taunted, but stepping toward him, nonetheless.

    Because of our extreme height difference, he bent down to wrap his buff arms around me, squeezing tightly. "Ah, you're like a marshmallow."

   I stepped back a few seconds later, watching him straighten with amusement. "A marshmallow? That's new."

   "I love marshmallows," he began to smirk, lowering his head. "You know, it's not too late to get all—"

   Suddenly, he snapped back and spun on his heel when someone smacked the back of his head. With him being now in eyesight, I smiled at Armando. "Hey, good game."

   He grinned and hugged me too. "Thanks, Clover." We pulled away and he looked over my shoulder, nodding to someone in greeting before meeting my eyes again. "You're gonna see Jared in a good mood today. It was a hard game but a big win."