Page 53 of Chasing Football Dreams

He shook his head, his smile not going anywhere. "Nothing,"

He skimmed his hands across the table taking my hand between his. "Please tell me what is going on,"

I started telling him about my dreams about the man I vaguely see. I could see the strain of the news taking effect on him.

"How sure are you about this?" He asked.

I licked my lips.

"Zoey?"

"You are not going to like what I am going to tell you,"

"What is it?"

"There was a man at the orphanage with a file full of pictures. He was talking to one of the caretakers about how I've become a nuisance,"

His gaze firmly narrowed as he processed the information making me nervous. "What happened to the file full of pictures?"

I gulped my agitation down when his stern voice emphasized, that he had made the right assumption. "We took it,"

His eyebrows shot up in shock. "When you imply, we, you are referring to you and Eliza?"

I nodded sheepishly. "And the team,"

"Oh god," He sighed, pinching his nose.

My team never lets me do anything stupid alone. It's scary to know they will always have my back even when they are aware of the consequences.

"Did anyone see you or your teammates stealing any file?" He asked, starting to sound like a real father.

"No," We haven't gone back to the orphanage after our last adventure.

"Where are these files now?"

"At home," I answered.

"And we can't go to the police because it's stolen," He sighed.

"Why do I get the feeling that you don't want to get to the bottom of this?" He noted.

I shrugged. "Because the truth is not going to fix anything. It's going to cause more pain,"

"Why would you say that? What are you not telling me?"

I shook my head. "Can we just drop it?"

"No," He reached for my hand, but I moved my hand out of his reach.

"Zoey,"

"I said I don't want to do it. Stop forcing me," I almost shouted. "I don't want to hurt you any further,"

I watch horror transpire in his eyes. "Why would you hurt me?"

"I can't tell you because I don't even know what the hell is going on,"

"Zoey," Brenda's soft comforting voice soothed through the stricken planes of my shoulders. I turned away from Shane to hug her and let her shield me from the truth.

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