I walked up the path to the front door and heard yelling. I opened the door to see Donnie with a football taped to his hands, while Charles hit it over and over again. There was a girl putting her shirt on in a hurry and looking very uncomfortable.
"You gonna drop it now?" Charles yelled hitting the ball again.
"Dad stop!" Donnie yelled.
I slammed the door shut and all three looked at me. Donnie looked embarrassed and Charles looked like he could careless.
"I'm leaving." The girl said and ran out the house. Charles huffed and then walked out the room leaving Donnie with the football taped to his hands.
"Are you okay?" I asked sitting next to him. He just shrugged. "Need help?" He nodded. I began to take the tape off in silence, a very awkward silence. Once the tape was completely off and Donnie had his clothes back on we were just sitting there.
"Did you have fun tonight?" He asked suddenly looking at me.
"Yeah, your friends are funny." I said.
"How did you get home?" he asked. "I didn't mean to forget you just, got caught up I guess." He said honestly.
"Its fine, Mike gave me a ride." I said.
"Mike? Mike Winchell?" He asked looking at me wide-eyed. I nodded confused. "I can't believe that, he is really weird about meeting new people." He said.
"He told me you asked him to." I said now confused.
"I would never ask him." He said, "He is a nice guy though." He added noticing the worried look on my face. "He is cool and nice but he is just in his own world most of the time. He doesn't let people in easily." He said. "Well I am off to bed." He said standing. "You want to come with me to practice tomorrow?" He asked.
"Sure but for what?" I asked.
"Football." He said like it was obvious and then walked away.
Football town wasn't just a joke around her.
I woke up before both Donnie and Charles. I went on a morning run, it was a habit I had started when my mom became a drunk. It gave me a reason to leave the house earlier in the morning. I ran around and finally decided to go back. I began to cook when Charles walked in. He had a clear hangover. "What's that horrible smell?" he asked.
"its eggs and pancakes." I said not taking offense to his comment.
"Go wake Donnie up, he can't be late." He said before walking into the bathroom.
I went into Donnie's room and I was stunned. The whole room was covered in football posters, football pictures, everything had to do with football. I walked to his bed and sat down and began to wake him up.
He was surprisingly a light sleeper so it took only a minute. Him and I were sitting at the table eating before Charles walked out the bathroom finally.
"You ready for football?" he asked walking around the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. Donnie just nodded and continued to eat. "What time is practice?" He asked.
"I'm not sure, I think 9." He answered.
"I will drop you off then, need to work today." He said sitting at the table with us.
"You don't have work today." Donnie said standing and putting away his plate. "I can drive myself." He said.
"Who are you to tell me when I do and don't work." He asked.
"You just want to drive to the bar and I don't need that now." He asked barely loud enough for anyone to hear.
"Fine drive your own damn self." Charles said flipping his chair and walking back to his room.
Donnie took a deep breath and then turned to me. "Are you coming?" He asked. I nodded. "Well then get dressed cause we have to hurry." I nodded. "You don't really talk much do you?" He asked. I shook my head. He laughed. "Lets go."
We were half way there when I noticed Donnie's hands were still a little red from the previous night. I wanted to ask so badly why it happened, I wanted to know. I needed to know but I didn't ask. Donnie eventually noticed me looking at his hands and he adjusted them on the wheel.
Donnie told me to sit on the player's bench because the stands would be crowded and I might be uncomfortable. I just did as he said.
I was sitting watching them warm up when the Coach came over to me. "October right?" He asked sitting next to me, I nodded. "Its good to see some other Billingsley family out here." He said. "I'm Coach Gaines by the way." He said. "So you like football?" He asked.
"Not really, don't really care about games." I said, his face seemed to drop. "I do like baseball though." I said.
"Baseball?" He asked looking sick.
"I lived in Chicago, they have two baseball teams and the football team kind of sucks." I said honestly.
He stood up and blew his whistle all the players froze and looked at him. "Don come here and talk to your crazy cousin." He yelled.
"What's wrong?" Donnie asked confused.
"She likes baseball and not football." He said, the whole team looked at Donnie and he looked slightly embarrassed. "Come on." He said to me as he walked onto the field. I followed close behind, my face getting warmer. "Now boys, I want you all the pay close attention." He said calling over everyone. "Its not her fault she wasn't taught right, football is not just a game now is it?"
"No coach." They all answered together.
"It's a way of life, it's a tradition, its an American celebration," He said looking at me.
"Well isn't baseball an American celebration?" I asked confused.
There was a laugh from somewhere causing Coach Gaines to look at the boys. "Sorry sir." Mike said looking serious.
"Did you just laugh?" He asked.
"Yes sir." Mike said.
"Well if you got Mike to laugh I guess your not half bad." He said patting my back and smiling. He blew his whistle and they began their drills again. "I am just messing with you, you know?" he said as we walked back to the benches. I felt relief sweep through my mind. "But you have to know a little about football to be here, so watch and learn." He said smiling, I just nodded.