South || Benny Rodriguez (Book 2)

6

Naomi's P.O.V.

Flashback

June 28, 1962

We pulled up to an apartment building. Which was fine to me, somewhere to sleep anyways.

"Are you sure this is a good idea? We haven't even known her for 2 hours yet." Cam asked from the passenger seat.

I shrugged, "Never play by the r-"

"Rules unless it's a game. Yes I know, sorry for being concerned about my safety." I opened the car door, stepping out and then getting Lucy.

Me and Cam got the important bags from the bed of the truck, then put dad's stuff in the back seat.

"Here let me help you with that." I hear someone behind me.

I turn around to see where the voice came from, to see a young man. He looked like he maybe he the age of 12.

"I'm Charlie, Casey's son. You are supposed to be staying with us?" He asked.

I smiled nodding, "Yeah, I'm Naomi, this is Lucy," I paused pointing to Cam behind me on the other side of the truck, "and that's Cam."

He nodded, "Nice to meet you, but seriously let me help you with those bags."

I smile as he takes them from my hand that was under Lucy. She was asleep so I had to carry her.

Cam came around from the other side and caught up with us on the sidewalk.

"So I hear that you like hockey." Charlie started as we walked to the front door of the apartment building.

"I used to play street hockey. Not on real ice." I explained as we walking in going up some stairs.

"That's pretty cool. You should come with me and meet the team. We practice here and there but mainly goof around." He continued as we walked up the stairs then getting on the level I guess he lived on.

"Maybe I will." I smiled.

"Do you play?" He asked Cam who stood behind me.

"Nah, I was too into baseball to mess around with any other sport. Ni here has probably played every sport." He chuckled.

He opened he door to his apartment, "We really only have one room left to give out, but we have a couch-" Charlie started but Cam cut him off.

"Ni and Lucy can take the guest room and I'll take the couch. It's no big deal."

I smiled, "Thanks Cam."

"Well let me show you to the guest room." He started walking off so I followed behind him.

He reached a hallway, "That is my moms room there," he said pointing to one room, "this is my room." He said pointing to another room, "and yours is now here." He said pointing to the last door.

He opened it and let me walk in. It looked so untouched. It reminded me of the old house. When we first got there it was so bland and boring.

I grinned looking around then walking to the bed. I dropped Lucy down, then looked back at Charlie.

"So, what's your teams name?" I crossed my arms and walked over to him, then uncrossed them to close the door as we walked out.

"We don't actually have a name. Like I said, we all just goof around and not really play the sport. Our old coach just died of a heart attack. We don't have a manager or coach." He explained.

"What are you guys known as?"

"District five. Or the regrets."

I smiled, "I like that. When I played, we named us 'the Ranaways'."

He gave me a confused look, "Why did you name yourselves that?"

"We were all trying to run away from our problems or life. Regrets of society." 

He nodded, "Clever name."

"Thank you, I came up with it."

He chuckled.

"Charlie, leave them alone, they've been driving all night." I hear Casey from the kitchen.

"It's fine Casey, I'm not really that tired." I smiled as I sat down at the kitchen table.

"Well, okay. You do need to rest though. Driving all the way from Utah needs a nap." She said, crossing her arms.

I chuckle as a response.

"You came all the way from Utah?" Charlie leaned over to me.

"I've lived in almost every state you could think of."

"That most be exhausting." He said as he leaned away.

"You have no idea."

Casey walked in sitting on the opposite end of the table, "So Naomi, tell us about yourself."

"Let me get something's out of the way before we start talking about me. Just some basics.
1. Unfortunately both of my parents have passed.
2. Lucy does have autism, so if you do try to talk to her, it'll be very hard for her to communicate.
3. I'm 15, but I've been taking care of the two that I've came here with for about two years. " I paused as I looked between the two.

"Okay, now what about you, tell us about you." Charlie said, now leaning against his hand.

"I don't really know what you want me to tell you. I'm just on average girl." I chuckled to myself.

"If you have been taking care of yourself and two others then there has to be more." Casey smiled.

"3 actually. I had to take care of my mother too."

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Casey added.

"Thank you." I paused looking over at Charlie, "How about we go out and let me meet your team at some point?"

He smiled, nodding, "Okay, yeah, that sounds like fun."

I started to yawn heavily, "You might be right, after all that driving, I think I'm going to go lay down for a bit." I said excusing myself from the table and walking back to the room where I once was.

I walked in sitting on the opposite side of the bed, and looked out the window that was in front of me. It showed the streets before me of Minneapolis.

"Life is really treating me well, huh dad?" I asked as I walked people below, "What I would do to see you again. This is where you tell me a stupid dad joke, or tell me that you were always going to be here. But you aren't here dad." I paused trying to get the lump in my throat gone, "What should I do now?"

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