HOOPS AND HEARTS

Chapter 13

Leo

I stay awake in bed. Letting my phone go to voicemail for the 18th time. I ruffle my hair in annoyance, sliding my phone into my palm, ignoring the caller ID. My voice is groggy and heavy with sleep. I dropped Astrid off late, and had gotten home even later. It was no surprise when I walked into the silent home, void with any noise from my stirring parents.

"Hello?"

"Where the hell are you Leo?? I know you covered my shift last night, but you can't forget about yours." I recognize Luis's voice through the haziness of my sleep. I bolt up in an instant, pulling my phone back to glance down at the time. shit. i'm late.

"I'm coming!" I hang up hastily, and throw down my phone, running over to the bathroom where my routine is quickened with my pace. I run back in my room, when something stops me.

Leoo

Leoooo

The walls echo around me, enclosing me in the sound of their rusty nails creaking against eachother. No, not now. Please.

We know what you did Leo.

Leooo-

I shove an earbud deep into my ear, their voices stopping. Leaving nothing but the sound of my heavy breathing. I stand still. Staring at the wall. Breathe. They are silent. My phone buzzes, snapping me into attention.

Luis: Now please!!!

I rush down the stairs, to see my mother holding a mug in her left hand, and her phone in her right. Something is tugging at the corners of her lips, causing them to dip upward. I pause at the sight. I falter, as I see her smile.

She's smiling.

 My lips seem to mimic hers, raising to touch the sky, when her eyes meet mine. They darken. Her smile is gone. She sets down her mug, looking away from me and walking back in the direction of where she stays. Where she dwells. Where countless sobs rip from her throat, and join the persisting voices of this home around me. If thats what it is anymore. A home. A wood border and bricks is what this place is. A shelter. We lost our home a long time ago. I lost my home. I walk out of the door, my anguish sitting on the hardwood where I once stood. 

_______________

"Leo, what the hell is this?" My manager stands in front of me, pointing to the toppling bags of chips before me. They are messy in contrast to the other snacks I organized last night. I bite my cheek. This was her. This was her doing. Im about to place blame where it is deserved, when the memory of Astrid fills my mind. Astrid laughing. Cracking jokes I would have otherwise collapsed on the floor laughing from, if I hadn't vowed to hate her for the rest of my life. So to my surprise, my lips form these words.

"I'm sorry sir, it wont happen again." I nod, holding my hands in front of me, lowering my head. 

"Damn right it won't." His mullet bobs, with every movement of his head. "You better get this cleaned up." He says, walking off with cautious eyes. 

"Yes, sir." I kick the shelf, when he's out of view. If theres anything I hated more than our rivals, it was failing, and awarding myself a bad rep. This wasn't my fault, and I shouldn't have to pay for something I didn't do. I was practically awarding myself the title of 'Irresponsible Employee' and tattooing it on my forehead. In the heat of my anger, my fingers dialed the one person who is better suited for cleaning this, than me.

"Get over here now." I say, my tone deep and low. I can hear the sleepiness through the phone, before she even takes a breath. 

"It's 8:00 are you off your rocker?!" She exclaims through the phone, yawning on the other end.

"No, and you're not off the hook." 

"No." She states confidently. I raise a brow, supporting my weight against the shelfs next to me.

"Listen up, princess. You will be here in 20 minutes, or I'll make your life hell. Got it?" Silence radiates from the other end. "H-hello?" I pull back to see a blank screen.

The first thing I notice is her hair. Then her hips. It's tied back in a clip, strands falling forward in haste. It shines against the sunlight, encompassing her rosy cheeks, and plump lips. I peer down to her exposed belly, highlighted by a tight white shirt, and curving down teasingly, into the waistband of her short athletic short. Her thighs pulling the pink fabric back. I can't help but stare, my gaze wandering to every inch of her small silhouette, as she rest against her right hip, typing furiously on her phone. I curse myself for succumbing to the pulsing feeling between my legs, licking heat across every corner. I rip my gaze away, when a small groan starts at the back of my throat. I attempt to distract myself, fixing my uniform, and adjusting the bags below the counter. When I rise, I see her fuming face before me. I jump in surprise, awarding a smirk from her lips. Those lips. What am I thinking? 

"Alright, I'm here. What do you want?" She says, arms crossed. I clear my throat. Regaining composure. I point to aisle 4.

"That shit was all you, and thanks to you I got chewed out for it." I mimic her stance. Her mouth falls wide open.

"You called me over for that? Are you out your bloody mind? Do you know how hard it was to convince my father to drive me here?!" She groans and huffs, walking toward the exit. 

"Hey! No restock no-"

She whips around dangerously.

"I'll walk for fucks sake!" She continues out of the sliding doors, and Luis comes hobbling out of the staff room. 

"You seriously gonna let her go?" He ask, leaning over the counter. I nod.

"Yea. I could care less." I lie.

"Oh come on, don't act like I didn't see that. Your dick was about to burst out your fucking pants dude." he says. My cheeks heat up in flames, and I look away itching my neck awkwardly. It just. happened. Nothing other than attraction. I hate that girl. She is beautiful, but infuriating and selfish, and-

"Anyway, I think only one of us can be an asshole today." He jogs over to the sliding doors, running after her.

_______________

Astrid sits on the counter, swinging her legs. She and Luis laugh as they pass her phone back and forth, smiles resulting from each one of them with every time their hands passed the device. 

"Can you guys keep it down please?" I say, from my position in front of the shelf. Fixing the assortment of chips, that would have otherwise been Astrid's job, if Luis didn't step in. She sticks out her tongue in a childish manner.

"Who pissed in your breakfast?" She says, I mimic her, as she pulls her buzzing phone out of Luis's hand. "Oh, sorry, let me get this." He smiles and waves her off understandingly, and I roll my eyes, as she makes her way to the back of the store. I spot a lady, standing over a puddle of water, a now empty water bottle sitting next to it. 

"Don't worry I got it!" I call against the store, smiling and waving for her to continue her shopping. She smiles back, grasping her water bottle, and hobbling over to the makeup section. I grab a nearby mop, making my way over to the spill. As I work the mop over the spill, Astrid's voice, pulls me to the side of the shelf. Speaking loudly. 

"I didn't stand you up!" She exclaims, a giggle in her voice. I step closer, the other voice becoming more apparent.

"You totally did Ms. London."

"Well, I hardly recall you setting a time, date, or place."

"What if I told you, I have no problem giving that information now." 

Is she going on a date? The dots connect in my head, as my brow furrows. Thinking back to the unmistakeable dip in the man's voice. That voice had been with me for the past four years. Cheering me on. Consoling me after a bad match. Waking up early with me at 5am for tournaments, and convenient gym trips. That's.... Tom. I make a move to better hear her answer, but dip too far, when my foot slides beneath me against the remaining water.

"Shit!" I exclaim. Astrid stares down at me, my body angular and staring up at her, from the damp ground. "H-hey Astrid."