The Fault Line (GxG)

4. She is a bit cocky

"Great," I muttered to myself as I park my car next to my mother's. What kind of mess is she bringing with her this time, I wonder. There is always something. She hasn't been here for the last six months. I'm starting to think it would be better if she never came back. We are fine without her.

I enter the house, and the conversation with my father and mother died out.

"Wilder?" Dad calls out.

"Yeah," I say as I find them in the kitchen. My mother's brown eyes brightened up as she saw me.

"Hi," I say to her as I lean on the counter while both my parents are sitting around the table.

"How are you?" She asks.

"I'm fine," I say, crossing my arms over my chest, but I noticed the redness in her eyes. She appears skinnier than I last time I saw her. I have a feeling something is wrong, but then again, there always is.

"How did the interview go?" My father asks, trying to trail off the uncomfortableness that is hanging in the air.

"It went okay," I shrug.

"I didn't expect to be there with The Giffitths new captain," I inform him, and his eyebrows raised.

"The new keeper?" He asks, and I nod slightly, deep in thought of the events of today. The way Nico looked at me during the interview was something I haven't experienced before. It was intense and strange. I can't seem to find the right words to describe it.

"Yeah, she is a bit cocky," I complain, wrinkling my nose.

"I guess you can become a little coky when being as good as she is," My father smiles, and I roll my eyes. He might be right, but it's a bit much for me. But then again, I shouldn't judge a person by first impressions. What in the world am I thinking? It's not like I am going to interact with her anyway.

"Perhaps. So what is going on?" I wonder, gazing between my parents as I wait on the answer. They both look at each other, not sure which one to say the first word.

"Your mom needs to stay here for a few days," My father explains to me, and I try with all my might not to react badly to it. She is my mother, after all.

"Sure, okay," I say and offer a smile.

"I will be upstairs if there is anything," I say and watch them nod to get a confirmation.

I breathe out deeply as I laid down in bed. There are one too many thoughts in my head at the moment. My mom is back for a few days, but it can also mean for a while. It depends on what she wants and needs. As long as it won't be my dad's problem, it will be fine. But knowing my mother, it's most likely trouble. I had a feeling she is struggling with drugs; I'm not sure. Dad won't tell me, and I know he is hiding my mother's issues to protect me, but sometimes I wonder if it's also to preserve her.

I close my eyes as the game next week comes to mind. The pressure was added after the interview with Jae. The self-assurance in Nico put me on edge. Maybe that was a trick she had up her sleeve. She is lucky because whatever she did, it worked. My mind is spinning with unease now. It might go away eventually.

I had the idea that a shower would wash away every uncertainty, but it didn't. Now I'm just staring back at my reflection of myself in the mirror. The water is dripping from my dark hair and onto the floor. Tired gray eyes are peeking back at me, wondering why certain someone won't leave my mind. I shake my head and get dressed into my Howlers hoodie and a pair of sweatpants for the evening.

I step into my bedroom, battling how to spend the rest of the day. Most of the time, I would spend time with Lynda, but she is on a date. We would watch movies at her place because she has a better screen than what we have.

My dad and I would also go to my grandparents to help with the farm. I enjoy that, though, sitting in the tractor while my grandad drives to pick up hay for the cows. It's a fun way to spend time with him.

"Wilder?" I hear dad shout from downstairs.

"Yeah?" I answer.

"It's dinner," He tells me, and I sigh, had a thought about going out and play some ball. I stumble down the stairs, seeing takeaway pizza on top of the table, which is such a dad thing to do.

"Are you hungry?" He asks, taking a slice and place himself on the table. Where my mother is already eating, they seem to have found a friendly tone this time. Better than last time when they were arguing about money.

"Your dad updated me on your soccer; you have become so good," My mother says as I place myself at the end of the table with a slice of pizza in my hand.

"Yeah," I answer, not feeling the need to talk as I take a bite.

"And that you might get a few nice offers from colleges," She keeps on talking, and I nod with my mouth full.

"There have been a few scouts around, but I don't know anything yet," I answer after I swallowed.

"They will come eventually," My father grins, and I can't but smile as he has his mouth full of pizza. What made it funnier was that my mother frowned at him. I listen to them talk about their past. Mostly about memories of what they did when they were younger. My father stole granddad's tractor to pick up my mom in the late summer evening to go night swimming. Then, one of their friends named Jackson, didn't put his car in park. So it ended up in the river. Dad had to bring the tractor to pull it up.

It's fun to listen to these stories, but as they continued, a void was developed. I feel like I have spent so much time on soccer and school that I haven't created these memories myself. The only thing I can remember is training and having a football on my feet. It's quite sad. I know I'm only seventeen, but I still kind of feel as if I have missed out on something.