Chapter Eighteen
Tori's POV
" He's at Logan's house... You didn't say that the poker game was in 90909. " Veronica says as we sit in front of her computer tracking Eli's bike.
My eyebrows furrow. " He didn't tell me he was playing there. Just that he was going to be playing poker. "
" Well, maybe he told you the truth about not doing anything about what Logan said. " She says closing the screen as dad comes into the room.
He looks at us expectantly. " I hate to interrupt you two doing things you shouldn't, but it's time to decorate the tree! " He says going back into the living room but keeping the door open for us to follow.
We both look at each other and groan. " Am I the only one that feels like we're too old for this? "
" Nope, but come on. " She says getting up and pulling me into the living room.
When we get out there we see that he already started. The tree is up and naked, our stockings are hanging, and The Year Without a Santa Claus is playing.
Veronica starts sorting our ornaments from the small box on top of the television. dad and I get the lights untangled and ready to be wrapped around the tree. She comes over with two handfuls of ornaments.
" The upside to having a sister? You know all the scary handmade ornaments aren't all yours. Ooh, this concerns me. "
She picks out a reindeer face made of three Popsicle sticks and heads over to dad and the tree. I suck my teeth and roll my eyes. My ornaments are adorable.
When we're almost done dad takes a good look at it and his head shoots at us in alarm. " Whoa, whoa, whoa. You gotta put another Padre's ornament over there. "
He reaches into the box and hands Veronica one of the sacred Padres ornaments.
She looks at him skeptically.
" What? " He asks obliviously. " They should be spread out so it's even. "
I roll my eyes yet again. " You know, there are some people who think Christmas is about the birth of Christ and not baseball. "
" Well, we're all entitled to our own religions, Victoria. " He says flatly.
Ooh, Keith Mars is getting irritated. Better stop Vic.
" So what do you want for Christmas? " Veronica asks to change the subject.
He still looks a little agitated by my comment." Your love and respect. "
" Seriously, if you could have anything for Christmas, anything? " I ask.
Sighing he says, " I want you two to save your money. "
We both look away then. It hurts to know that he is always going without. The one time of the year we give/receive things selfishly/selflessly and he doesn't want anything.
He looks over at the tv and a smile comes onto his face. " Oh hey, hey, hey, oh, it's our favorite part. "
It really isn't our favorite part...
It's here and now that I decide that are going to make this a good Christmas for dad. I look over at Veronica and we both seem to agree silently.
The next morning Veronica wakes me up at five am. I try to shake her off I really do, but she has an idea for dad's gift.
So, of course, we have to get ready for school early so we can go get the information we need. As if Google isn't a thing.
" A Padres training camp? It's perfect, but he's getting older do you think he can do it? " I ask looking over the brochure as we wait in the school parking lot for people to show up.
" It's for fans just like him. He'll love it. The only thing we have to worry about is our fifteen hundred dollar chip in. " She says seriously.
I nod. " I might be able to come up with my half in time, you? "
She hesitates for a second. " Ask me again at the end of the day. "
I stretch my still tired body as people start pulling into the parking lot. " Don't ever wake me up at five am again kay? I didn't finish my homework until one. "
" Who are you telling? " She asks sarcastically. " Wanna go get a coffee before the late bell? "
I nod. " Yesssss. "
We pull out of the parking lot and make the five-minute drive to Java the Hut. It's not our favorite, but we get our coffee here off of principal only. Starbucks is evil.
" I'm buying since I woke us up early. " She says taking her seatbelt off. " I'll be right back. "
As I wait I can hear the PCHers coming up the road. When they got closer I see Eli in the front, leading formation. I get out and when he notices me leaning against Veronica's car he gives the others the signal to go on without him. He pulls into the parking lot next to me and takes his helmet off.
" You look dead. " He says taking in my appearance.
I glare at him. " Veronica woke me up early. "
" My poor querida. " He bites out.
Taking a good look at him I realize he's mad as hell. " What's up with you? "
" Nothing... I'm handling it. " He promises.
Oh, God. " Something happened at L- the poker game last night? " I ask almost slipping up.
" It's nothing to worry your pretty face about. " He says finally letting his fire sizzle out for me.
Veronica comes out with two large coffees and I perk up. Caffeine! " Hey Weevil. "
" Hey V... I'll see you at school, Vic. " He says looking at me again before starting his bike again.
Once he's gone she looks at me weirdly. " Vic? "
I shrug my shoulders.
I'm already half done with my coffee when we walk into school. Veronica catches up to Wallace and I head straight to Eli. He wraps his arms around me and I kiss the side of his neck. Damn, he always smells so good.
" I want my laptop, now! " A very angry Duncan yells, forcing Eli to pull back and push me over towards Felix who pushes me behind him.
All of this testosterone is too much this early in the morning.
" How does it feel to want? " Eli asks Duncan with an infuriating smirk on his face.
He grabs the shoulders of Eli's shirt. " I am not screwing around. "
Bad move, four Pch'ers trying to prove themselves shove him and hold him up against the lockers.
" I didn't take your money. " Duncan proclaims angrily.
Eli looks back at me and for one second I see regret. Which is something I have never seen on his face. Damn. Now we both feel bad about keeping secrets.
" Someone did. " He says lowly.
Ducan gives him one last glare before saying, " well, it wasn't me. "
Veronica creeps closer to see what's going on. I give her an " I don't know " look before giving my attention to the issue at hand.
Eli looks around before holding his hand up. " Let him go. "
" Lay off. " One of the bikers tells Duncan.
He leads me away from the scene and wraps an arm around my shoulders. I look back at Duncan and frown. " So you're just going to act like that didn't just happen? "
" Just another day querida. " He says simply.
Veronica's POV
After Weevil drags Victoria away I go up to Duncan. " Someone stole your laptop? "
" There was this poker game at Logan's last night. Weevil won five grand and someone stole the money. This is his way of collecting. " He says cooling off.
Lucky for him, Weevil seems to have a thing about not being violent in my sister's presence. At least I know he respects her enough to keep it between him and his boys.
" You lie down with dogs, you're gonna get fleas. " I say finally.
Duncan glares at me. " I didn't invite him. "
" I wasn't talking about Weevil. " I scoff before walking away from him.
" Hey, this kinda concerns you. " He says following me.
Really? " I don't see how. "
" I keep a journal on my laptop for the past, I dunno, three years. There was a time when you were kind of a feature. " He says baiting me.
I stop and look up at him. " A feature with a cleverly disguised pseudonym? " I ask more in hope than expectation.
" Let's just say...I was prolific. " He says before leaving me alone to think.
There are a million things Duncan could have written about me that I'd sooner impale myself on a rusty spike than have someone else read. I must get that computer back. So after third period, I went to find Weevil. He was in Miss Mills' empty room with some of the PCH'ers.
The darkened classroom is furnished with stuffed chairs and bean bags. Weevil and his boys are all sitting on the floor and appear to be playing craps. They seem to have anticipated my arrival.
I cock my head and smile at them. " Hey. "
Weevil laughs. " See, there you go with that head-tilt thing. You know, you think you're all badass but whenever you need something it's all, " He says tilting his head " hey. "
" Just be glad I don't flip my hair. I'd own you. " I say in jest.
He humms. " So what can I do for you? "
" You can not get busted stealing 09er stuff and let me handle this poker thing. " I offer.
Weevil chuckles along with the other PCH'ers.
I sigh." Seriously. Why risk it? Give Duncan back his computer. Let me handle this. "
" Could you, please, Veronica? Protect me from the big, bad, sweater-vest-wearing rich boys? " He says making fun of me.
I can't let him know that my patience is running thin. Weevil so does not need to know that I want to help for selfish reasons. All he needs to know is what I tell him. The half-truth.
" I'm just trying to help. Especially since if you get arrested for stealing my dad will personally make sure you never see my sister again. " I say quickly.
He looks at me incredulously." In what alternate universe does it look like I need your help, huh? "
I throw up my hands to say "Forget it" and turn to walk out.
Three. Two. One.
" Of course, if I get my five grand, some of those guys will stop losing their stuff. " I hear him say.
Grinning quickly I turn around. " Why were you even there? "
Weevil gets to his feet. " I hear about a five thousand dollar card game played by idiots, I'm interested. I made him a deal, let me in the game and I'd let him live to see the holiday. If not I'd have busted his pretty white boy face for what he said to Tori. "
" What did he say to my sister? " I ask in confusion.
He shakes his head. " It doesn't matter... What does is that he thought I was just some dumb Mexican he could take for his cash. "
" Who do you think did it? Did Logan do it? " I ask seriously.
He sighs. " Well, I know for a fact that nobody left the house with the money. He could've hidden it anywhere and he had an opportunity. After the pizza was gone Lynn Echolls took a dip in the pool. He was the only one not at the window looking. "
" Gosh, my sister sure is a lucky lady. " I say sarcastically as we walk out into the hallway.
Weevil at least has the decency to look guilty.
" So Duncan was at the window? " I ask directing the conversation back to the case.
He nods and stops walking. " Everybody but Logan was. "
" You're sure? " I ask trying to get the story straight.
He rolls his eyes. " I wasn't taking notes, but yeah. The money was in that house, somewhere. I would've torn the place apart if I didn't think he'd call the cops. " He said before walking off.
Tori's POV
After school, I sit Eli down and we do our homework. Or in his case, catch up on. He's so not going to make it if he doesn't apply himself. I'm here to whip him into shape which Abuela loves me for. And it's sad because he isn't stupid.
When I'm finished I watch him concentrate hard on his work.
"Stop staring at me querida. " He says not even looking my way.
Not being able to help myself, I crawl behind him and wrap my body around his like a monkey." Are you ever gonna tell me what is really going on? "
" Babe I'm trying to keep you out of it. " He says tiredly.
I reach up and rub his shoulders. " I don't like being left out... But if you feel like it's for my own good I'll let it go. " I say laying my head on the junction between his head and shoulders.
" I won five grand in the poker game... Someone stole all of the money. Now you're caught up. " He says suddenly.
I frown but I'm glad he finally has let me in. " Was that so hard? "
" I just want to keep my other business away from you. You're my girl and I don't want you to worry. " He says honestly.
I humm and get more comfortable. " I love you... " I whisper as my eyes grow droopy. His muscles tense before relaxing immediately as I drift off to dreamland.
