my past life

•6•

"Nicole!"

The two of us turn around and I see two older people walking towards us. I'm guessing they are Nicole's parents.

"Oh, hey," Nicole says to them. "We were just coming to find you guys."

"Sure you were," her dad says sarcastically.

Nicole takes a deep breath and I tighten my grip around her waist, "Who is this?" Her mom asks.

"This is Edwin, my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" Her mom asks. "I didn't know you had a boyfriend."

Not going to lie, it hurts that she never told her parents about us but I know that she doesn't have a good relationship with them. I wouldn't want to tell my parents either. They are just going to judge and yell at her, so why tell them about something that makes you happy?

"We don't talk much," Nicole says.

"Who cares," her dad says. "You won't be seeing him anymore anyways since you are going back to USC now."

"I am not."

"We told you that this game determined where you stay. Obviously you have gotten worse playing here. You guys did awful out there. Your coach at USC would never let you guys play like that," her dad says.

"We do amazing," Nicole says. "USC is one of the best teams out there and we only lost by one point. I would say that's pretty good."

"Not good enough," her mom adds.

"It's not all about winning," I say calmly. "It's about having fun with your team."

"No," her dad says. "It's about having a good reputation around this place. You need to get higher up there in everything. You need the money."

"Money?" Nicole starts laughing. "I can financially provide for myself. I don't need yours or anyone else's money."

"Yea, okay," her dad says. "We all know that you use mommy and daddy's money all the time. You can't afford shit."

"And whose fault is that?" Nicole yells. "I wouldn't be living alone in my own place if you guys just treated me right, but I left. I left because I can't stand the thought of living with you guys any longer!"

"You're sister would be disappointed," her mom says with a smirk plastered on her face.

"Hey," I say. "Don't you say a word about her."

"Oh, so you told Mr boyfriend over here?" She asks. "That's pretty stupid. I thought we taught you to trust nobody."

"I know that I can trust him," Nicole says.

"That's what you think," her mom says. "But he will turn around and stab you in the back like everyone else, Nicole."

"You can't tell me how to live my life. I'm old enough to do as I please. I'm old enough to trust who I want!"

"You can't though," her dad says. "We pay for everything. We have your sister. You know that you have to do as we say."

"No, she doesn't," I say. "I'm not going to let you guys do this to her."

"Lydia," he reminds her, "What are you going to do about that? We are the only ones that know where she is at."

"I-" Nicole starts but I cut her off.

"Well why don't you start by telling us why you have her in the first place," I say. "I would love to know the real story. Then maybe we let it all go. Then Nicole can go back with you."