Dissolving

Chapter 12 - The Stranger

Today is kind of unusual.

I am currently perched about halfway up the bleachers, watching Noah's final game of the season that is taking place at home. Their real final game, when they will find out where they end up on the leader board, will be an away game, much to everybody's annoyance. It means that only one or two of us will be able to go and watch it. Although Noah's team is nowhere near the top this year, it could still be pretty interesting since there are three teams that are battling it out for the places four to six.

I feel a bit sorry for Noah, to be honest, because not only will there hardly be anyone from our family present when they have their final game but also today, due to some stupid circumstances, there is practically nobody here.

My only company at the moment is Jack. We are all Noah's got today and I am not so sure that this is making him very happy.

Sam was supposed to be here, seeing as he and Noah are "best buddies" and such, but he got a last minute client who explicitly asked for him as his personal trainer. The person is some kind of celebrity, but Sam wouldn't reveal who it is. Apparently, that is privileged information or whatever. All we could find out from him was that it is a guy and that he is here for some movie that they're making in the area. And, despite feeling bad for missing Noah's game, Sam wouldn't turn him down, since it will give his 2nd business a great boost if the guy is happy and word gets around.

Noah being Noah was, of course, very understanding. More understanding than Aidan or I would have been, that's for sure.

I am kind of glad that I don't have to sit here for almost two hours with Sam, because the chances of us getting into another fight are pretty big. Ever since our latest blow up at the barbeque last weekend, things have been very weird between my brother and I. We never really apologized to each other after that but just ignored that it even happened. Some would say we are "keeping it professional", meaning that we are trying our best not to rip each other's heads off during our mandatory therapy sessions. But other than that, we try to avoid each other as best as we can. I am glad that Sam moved out a few months ago, because that limits the chances that we run into each other at home.

As for the others, Alex and Josh couldn't get away from work today, which is not that unusual, but still a bit of a shame for Noah. Sean, who is still in town, as he promised he would be when he showed up on the weekend, is currently in up in San Francisco and won't be getting back until tomorrow.

Luke has a gig a couple of hours away from here. And nobody knows where Will is. Not that he would voluntarily come and watch anybody's game. I don't think he has ever even seen me play. If he did, I wouldn't know about it.

Ben went with Aidan and his team, since Aidan happens to have his second to last game of the season a few towns over. They were looking for a couple of teachers to go with them and Ben volunteered, probably to show some support to our brother, since nobody else would have had time to go watch his game, much like they don't have time to be here for Noah.

Finally, Jordan is actually supposed to join Jack and me, but he hasn't shown up yet. He texted me earlier, saying that he was just about to leave the old factory where he taught a martial arts class until 5pm, but he also said that he needs to swing by the house first and to save him a seat. That was almost an hour ago and I wonder where he is.

"Hey, ace, I'm talking to you! Are you even in there?" Jack asks.

He taps my temple with his finger, which is highly annoying and causes me to quickly shift towards the right. In my haste to get away from Jack, I forget that I am sitting at the very end of the bench. By the time I realize my mistake, I am already losing my balance. Preparing for the impact of awkwardly tumbling onto the floor, I instinctively close my eyes. But it doesn't come to that. A hand wraps itself around my upper arm at the last second and Jack unceremoniously hauls me back up into a sitting position.