A week later, the friends were playing hockey to get ready for a big exhibition game they had coming up. While playing (Otto and Reggie vs. Twister and Sam), Twister told his friends about the message he got from Pi.

"Wait for a minuet," Otto started with a chuckle, "he messaged you?"

"I found it weird," Twister mentioned. "None of Lars' friends ever message, except when it's it call me names, threaten me or whatever."

"Hasn't Lars been acting off, though?" Sam asked.

"Kind of. The only good thing about it is that he doesn't have time to whomp or prank me." Twister chuckled.

"There must be something bothering Lars if he is acting this way," Reggie said.

"It all seemed to start when my uncle came back." Twister said.

"Suppose it has to do with your uncle leaving? He probably never forgave him for just leaving you guys with a new babysitter when he and your aunt had been babysitting you two most of your lives." Sam stated.

"If he is still eaten up about that, that's childish. How long has it been?" Otto added as he hit the puck into the goal.

"Something must, be eating him up but I wonder what it could be," Reggie responded.

At that moment, Lars and his friends showed up in their hockey gear.

"How cute. Look at the little kiddies playing pee wee hockey." He joked as his friends laughed. "You dorks have no chance beating us in the exhibition game."

"Beat it, Lars!" Otto snapped.

"What are you scared of losing?" Lars started in again with his friends laughing. "Because that's what is sounds like."

"You're on!" Otto spat back.

The teams split up on the hockey field. Otto leaned over to Twister and said, "Oh yeah...Lars looks off alright."

"He's probably doing what he did for attention," Reggie added with an eye roll.

"Are you going to talk or are you going to play?" Pi called from the other side of the field.

The kids started to play an intense game of hockey. It was going well, especially for Lars, since he needed some distraction from his intrusive thoughts. While in the middle of the game, a voice called out, "Nice goal, Lars!"

Lars turned around and saw Ramon watching them. He felt a pit in his stomach and dropped his hockey stick.

"Tio Ramon! How did you know we'd be here?" Twister was excited to see his uncle.

"I stopped by to see if you and Lars wanted to do something fun. Your mom told me you were playing hockey so here I am." Ramon chuckled.

"Oh...these are my friends." Twister pointed his friends out to Ramon.

As his uncle was introducing himself to the others, Lars' face went pale. He had to get out of there now.

"Come on." He said to his friends.

"But what about the game?" Animal asked.

"Forget the game. They win." Lars spat.

"Wait," Otto called, "You can't just walk out of a game!"

"Looks like we just did!" Lars called back.

"Lars," Ramon called over, "would you like to come on a boat ride with me and Maurice?"

"Yeah...go to hell!" Lars snapped.

As Lars stalked off, his friends followed with confused looks on their faces. Even Twister and his friends were equally confused.

"What was that all about?" Sam wondered.

"That was random," Reggie added.

"He just does it for attention. Ignore him." Otto said. "But we can go on the boat ride."

"Excellent. Let's go. The day isn't getting younger." Ramon said and led the kids away.

"Your uncle is pretty cool," Reggie whispered to Twister.

"I know, isn't he?" Twister lightly chuckled.

"Dude, why did you flip like that? Was that the uncle you hate so much?" Pi asked.

"We were in the middle of a game," Animal interjected.

"I don't want to talk to him. He's an asshole." Lars snapped.

"He was just saying hi." Animal explained.

"Whatever. There is no law saying I need to say hi back." Lars snapped.

Pi looking concerned for his friend said, "Is there something that happened and you aren't telling us?"

At that moment, Lars' face went pale again, and he felt a pit in his stomach.

"Yeah. My mom needs me. I gotta go." Lars told his friends.

"Now? But we practically..." Pi was cut off.

"Yeah...I gotta go..." Lars took off from there leaving his friends alone.

"Dude, you don't think Lars' uncle..." Animal asked.

"God I hope not because that would be fucked up." Pi replied.

Once Lars got him, he headed straight to his room and watched TV for about 15 minuets. His mother walked in his room and said, "Mi hijo? Weren't you with your friends?"

"Yeah...um...I'm not feeling well and I bailed," Lars replied.

"You okay?" Sandy placed her hand on Lars' forehead, and he jerked his head to the side.

"I'm fine, mom. I don't have a fever. Stop worrying." Lars said in a rude voice.

"Tio Ramon offered to take you and Maurice on a boat ride," Sandy said. "You should really give him a chance, Lars. You and Maurice were crazy about him when you were younger. You preferred going to my sister's house because you both loved him."

Lars started straight at the TV and didn't even look at his mother. Being the concerned mother she was, Sandy again interjected, "Lars, are you okay?"

"Yes! I'm fine! Can't you people just stop worrying!" Lars freaked out on his mother and then looked at her. "Sorry...I'm sorry...it's just...I don't know. I guess I have a lot on my mind right now."

"Anything you need to talk about?" Sandy asked.

"Not really. You probably wouldn't understand." Lars replied.

"Okay. I'm going to make you lunch. What do you want?" Sandy asked.

"Uh...cheese and tomato soup?" Lars said.

"Okay, mi hijo." Sandy got up, kissed her son on the head and made her way into the kitchen.

Lars learned against his headboard, his mind wandering back to childhood again.

Flashback

A 5-year-old Lars and a 3-year-old Twister were once again being watched over by their uncle and aunt. Lars got in trouble for bothering his brother so his aunt, Letti, told him he wasn't allowed to go out for ice cream.

"But, Tia, I was just playing." Lars pleaded.

"No buts, Lars! When your mama comes to pick you up, I'm going to tell her what happened." Letti said.

Later on that day, Letti took Maurice to get ice cream while Lars had to stay with his uncle. Sitting on the floor playing with a car, Lars looked up at his uncle, who was cowering over him. Fear crept inside the little boy.

"Your Tia says I have to stay with you, Lars...want to do something for me?" Ramon said to him.

Being little, Lars didn't stick up for himself but let his uncle take advantage of him. This lasted for seven minuets, which felt like an eternity to the small child. Lars couldn't even cry, despite the tears that were about to come out. Ramon told him if he cried, he would hurt Twister or his parents won't love him anymore. Once Ramon was finished, he said, "Don't worry, papa...boys are suppose to like this...when you are older, you will understand...but you cannot tell your tia, mama or papa, okay? It's our secret."

Flashback ends

That was one of the few horrible days Lars experienced as a child. He also remembered the few times when his aunt would come home and seeing his clothes were on backwards and inside out. Shaking his head, Lars laid down.