The Football Boys (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter Eight : Blood Line

"How's school?" My dad asked me as soon as I sat down at the table with my bowl of cereal.

He's rarely ever here but when he is our conversations somehow turn into arguments. His way of talking to me was to criticize me and tell me everything I was doing wrong in life. I'm thankful that's he's so busy most of the time that I barely see him, I relish in those times.

"Fine." I said sharply, not looking in his direction.

"Fine?" He asked me looking up from his phone for a moment.

"Fine isn't good enough son." I didn't say anything and continued to eat.

"Are you listening? You need to work hard, push yourself! And why didn't you try out for quarterback this year?"

"Didn't want to."

His face was getting red and I could sense that my simple answers were pissing him off. The doorbell rang just as he was getting ready to yell and I hurriedly stood up to answer it.

"Hey, I brought over some games." Dakota greeted me with a smile.

"Do you think we can head over to your place?" I asked already walking out the door.

"Um.. sure."

"Thanks, you just saved me from a blood bath." I chuckled.

My dad wasn't always that way, one day he just changed and we stopped talking. I guess he got so caught up in his job that he forgot how to talk to me without making it about my goals and future. That stuff is important to me but I miss the way it used to be. He was always on my team when mom would compare me to Dakota, always cheering me on, telling me no matter what mom says, I'm just as good. Now they're both the same.

Dakota slowly opened the front door of his house and let me in first. The house was just as I remembered. Clean, modern and quiet.

"My dad is at work and my mom is in her room." Dakota said, looking rather nervous.

"What's wrong?" I asked as we walked straight to his room.

"Nothing." He shook his head as he sat on the edge of his bed.

"So anyway, why did you want to come over? Won't your mom get mad?" He quickly changed the subject before I could ask more questions.

"My dad was about to go haywire and she will but I honestly don't care right now. I can't stand being around when my dad get's like that." I said as I sat down beside him.

"Only a few more years and we can be free." He chuckled. There was a knock at the door which made Dakota flinch.

"Dakota? Is that you?"
"Don't come in." The door opened anyway and Mrs.Moreau walked in. Her hair was all over the place and she had black and blue dark circles under her eyes. She looked awful, different from the usual well dressed person I've always seen her as.

"Luka, how wonderful to see you." She hiccuped with a smile.

"Hi Mrs.Moreau." I smiled timidly and waved.

"Mom, go lay down."

"I haven't talked to Luka in years hun, let us catch up." She staggered towards me and I could smell the alcohol on her.