Snippets

Like Minded (Part 1)

On the cue, his phone started ringing and stopped.

"My Papa is here. I gotta go," He said and stood up. He stumbled a bit, but Rylen held his arm.

"I'll take you," She said.

"I'll go," He stumbled again. She caught him.

"I'll accompany you then. I have to find my Papa as well," She told him, he nodded.

"Careful, Alvarez," She said as they reached the two steps on the balcony's entrance.

"Call me Enrique or Rick. Alvarez sounds so..." He stopped.

"Sporty?" Rylen offered.

"Unfriendly," He said.

"I call all my teammates that way," Rylen told him.

"I'm not your teammate, so I am exempted," He pointed out.

"Fair point made, Enrique," Rylen took his name. It felt weird saying his name. She wanted to say it again.

"I think I started liking my name more," Enrique seemed like was muttering to himself, but Rylen heard and the warmth returned. This time her ears were hot as well.

"What car does your Papa have?" Rylen asked as they reached the entrance.

"Um..." He was saying when Rylen heard a car horn and looked at the BMW which stopped right in front of them. Christian Alvarez came into view when he pulled down the window.

"Hey, Christian!" Rylen greeted him.

"Rylen? Is that you? I couldn't recognize you for a minute," He asked as he came out of his car.

"Yeah. That's the power of makeup," Rylen chuckled.

"You look great, champ. What happened to him?" Christian asked shifting his attention to Enrique. He stood there leaning on the car as if he was tired.

"I think he's going to puke," Rylen said as Enrique's face scrunched up.

"Dios mio," Christian muttered and guided his son to the bushes nearby.

Rylen was right, Enrique did puke, and it made Rylen very angry. When his teammates knew he couldn't hold liquor, why did they give him any? That too without his knowledge.

"You good, mijo?" Christian asked Enrique while patting his back.

"I think," He said just above a whisper.

"Rylen hold him. Let me get some water," Christian told her,

"No, you wait. I'll get some from inside," She said and ran inside.

Rylen grabbed the first water bottle she saw and ran back outside. She gave it to Christian who looked at her gratefully then made Enrique drink it. After he had finished the whole bottle, Rylen realized she ran inside and came out in heels. Wait till she tells her sister.

"Can you walk to the car?" Rylen asked him and Enrique nodded.

As she helped him get seated in the car.

"Thanks a ton, Rylen. I don't know how he got this drunk. Rick never drinks, he's alcohol intolerant. He gets dizzy even in one sip," Christian informed her.

"His friends spiked his drink without him knowing. They must have thought he was making excuses for not drinking. I say you give them an earful when you see them," Rylen was angry at Enrique's friends. How can they be so careless towards their team member?

"Friends, you say?" Christiana asked.

"Yes, his teammates. That's what he told me," Rylen informed Christian.

"Rylen, Rick doesn't have friends. He's anti-social. Gets anxiety just by talking to people. We decided to let him into sports so he could talk and interact. He became good at football, but still can't talk to people," Christian told Rylen as her head turned towards Enrique who was sleeping peacefully.

"But that defender...Giowhatsherface. She seemed friendly with him," Rylen told Enrique's father.

"Giovanna Santos, I don't like her. She's irritating. Doesn't leave my son alone," Christian muttered. "Anyways I better head home. I'll get him some medicines. Don't want him benched in this tournament as well," He waved her.

"Yeah. Bye," She waved him back.

"Take care, Enrique," She whispered to his sleeping figure as Christian drove out of the venue.

"Ry! There you are!" It was her Papa. Rylen turned to find him walking outside.

"Yeah. My phone lost power. I came out to see off a friend," She told him.

"Which friend?" He asked as he asked the valet to get their car.

"Enrique, Christian Alvarez's son," She told him.

"Oh, you mean Rick. Yeah, I met him a few times. Nice boy," Her Papa said.

"Yeah, apparently his teammates gave him alcohol despite knowing he doesn't drink. Christian just told me that Enrique can't hold his alcohol because he's intolerant. Gets high in even one sip... I... I feel guilty," She was unhappy with herself.

"Why? Did you give him alcohol?" He asked her.

"No. I was rude to him when we met. A couple was making out, and he was sitting beside them. I thought he was some pervert enjoying the show. Christian said he was socially awkward, and almost had anxiety talking to people," She looked down at her shoes.

"Oh, Ry. It's alright. We all judge people wrong at times. It doesn't matter if you know when you are at fault. You helped the boy, right?" He asked Rylen nodded. "Then Rick will forgive you," He patted her face as their car arrived.

Through their ride, Enrique's thought never left her mind. They didn't exchange numbers, so she couldn't ask him if he was alright.

The next day Rylen took her vintage bike, her Grand Pabby gifted her and went to Christian's store. Christian wasn't there, neither was Enrique. Dejected, Rylen returned home.

Maybe he was sick, and Christian was at home taking care of him.

Christian's wife Daphne was a lawyer and wasn't home most of the time. This could be the reason Christian was at home taking care of Enrique. She wished he was alright.

She went back home with thoughts of Enrique.

****

Translations-

Amigo: Friend

Dios mio!: My god!

Mijo: Son  

Next part coming tomorrow! 

Until next time

Racs....