Sin

7 | The Seventh Chapter

The Seventh Chapter - Get Out Of The Fucking Kitchen.

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I didn't run into them again. I spent the day sneaking around the corridors, making sure I couldn't see them again before I made my way to and from my locker, and eventually made it home in one piece. As soon as I got there, I dropped my bag, let out a frustrated shout and collapsed on the couch, my head in my arms. I was so done; I just couldn't do it anymore. It was like trying to convince Einstein that he was raised by chickens.

Over the weekend, Jack had convinced me to come watch one of his soccer games, to see if I wanted to join the team eventually. After I'd settled in a bit more, of course. Which was really cool of him; it would be a happy distraction from how quiet the house had become now without my brother around, and from the ebbing loneliness I was so constantly experiencing. So I decided to go.

"Leaving, Mum!" I called from the hall as I hurriedly tied my hair up into my black cap. I was wearing a loose reed shirt with two thick white stripes around the loose sleeves that stopped at my elbows. I matched it with a pair of shorts and some thongs before grabbing my phone and setting off without waiting for a reply from Mum. I'd decided to walk to the local oval instead of take my car, because it was only about a ten minute walk and there was no point in driving. So I slid a pair of sunnies over my eyes and made my way.

When I got there, the team I was going to be supporting for the day were practicing on the oval already, since I'd been told to come early. Apparently, Jack wanted to introduce me to the team as a possible recruit since he'd seen me play during P.E last week, when I'd successfully hit Tyler Slater in the face with the ball.

Those two used to be friends, as Jack had told me. Close friends. Until one day last year, when he just shut down and stopped talking to people. Jack didn't take it personally; he knew that something was going on in his family that he didn't want to talk about, and he knew that they'd become close again. I'd smiled at that; it was good that he was keeping faith.

And quite amusing considering I was in the same position, but had the exact opposite outlook on it all.

"Hey, River, you made it," I heard Jack call from my right, and turned with a smile as I watched him jog over, already sweating and out of breath.

"Hey hey, how's practice?" I greeted, and he shrugged, glancing over at the team with a faint look of happiness playing across his features before he returned his attention back to me.

"Fairly well, everyone but one person's showed up so that's a relatively good sign," he replied with a laugh, then nudged my shoulder with his arm. "Come on, I'll introduce you. You can practice with us if you want; we've still got another half hour before we've got to change and huddle."

I shrugged, a big smile tugging my lips into a grin. "Sure, sounds good." I let him lead me towards the others in the team, some of which I recognised from my P.E class and others I might've seen around school at some point. A few were strangers, probably from other schools.

"Hey guys, listen up," Jack announced, and when he had the attention he wanted, he gestured to me. I waved. "This is River, the possible recruit. I reckon we can welcome her to the team in a few weeks once she's settled in, cause she just moved here, but she's gonna train with us this morning until the game."

There were a heap of chorused voices saying "Sweet!" and "Hey River," and even a few that said "Welcome aboard, River." I beamed around, feeling appreciated for the first time in a long time.