Page 2 of Flame After the Fumble

2

Hartley

Springs U Freshman Year

“Ithink that’s the last of it, Hart!” Violet hollers from behind the trunk of my used Honda Civic. She crams in the last few items that will fit without causing my car to explode. With my backpack slung over one shoulder, backward baseball hat, and phone in my hand, I’m ready for college. But leaving my honorary sister is the hardest part. Wrapping me up in a hug so tight that my circulation might cut off, Violet says, “I’m so proud of you, but I don’t know how I’ll make it here alone.”

I twist my arms around her frame, grabbing her head with one hand to keep her close to my chest. “You’re stronger than you think, Vi. Just remember, in three hundred sixty-five days, you’ll be right across the hall from me again.”

Her tears soak a little patch on the front of my shirt as she sniffles quietly, leaning away to wipe the tears from under her eyes. It kills me to see her hurting, but I’m doing this for the both of us. Life hasn’t been kind to her or me since we were kids.Violet had her grandpa, until she didn’t, and I “had” my dead-beat, alcoholic father. When everyone around us dropped the ball, we’ve always been able to count on each other, and that will never change.

She lifts her head to meet my eyes. “Promise?” she chokes out.

“Pinky promise,” I say, ruffling her hair in a way that always sets her off.

“Ugh, Hart!” She shoves my chest away and rocks her body side-to-side. “You know I hate that.” She stares at her reflection in my car window, frantically flattening all of the loose pieces of her dark brown hair.

“And you love me.” I shoot her my best smile to convince her that I’m not nervous about this move. The truth is, I am, but Violet worries about me more than she’d like to admit. So I put my brave face on until I hit the road.

“You’ll be back for Thanksgiving, right? I’m cooking the turkey all by myself for us.” She does a little happy tap with her feet. Violet’s a year younger than me, so she still has a year left of high school before she joins me at Springs U. Her aunt signed the emancipation papers the minute they came through, so Violet can live in my house by herself.

“That’s the plan. Don’t have too much fun without me here this year, and if you eventhinkabout throwing a party at the house—” Violet cuts me off with deep laughter before I have the chance to finish.

“I know. I know. I know! Don’t forget to invite you twenty-four hours in advance,” she explains while gesturing her hands for me to move on with my nonsense.

“It’s not a true party without Hartley Knox.” I wave goodbye to her, savoring the last moments we have together before I’m in the full college swing. Football season will roll around before I know it. I’m heading to Springs U on a full ride to play football—the golden ticket out of the torture that was my childhood. I trynot to let my mind become consumed with worry about Violet. “I better get on the road to make it to the apartment before the leasing office closes.”

“Call me when you make it there, please.” She unwraps her arms from me and pushes my shoulder, playfully. This is the relationship we’ve always had. She’s my little sister, and I would go to war for her any day of the week. Being states away will be difficult, but I knock that worry out of my head by focusing on what’s ahead.

I walk over to the driver’s seat as Violet slowly backs away from my car, throwing up a tentative wave. I crank the engine and roll all four windows down. As I back out of the driveway, I can’t help my heart from cracking at the sight of Violet on the front porch. Her eyes look sad and her body language is off as she fiddles with her hands, finally wrapping them tight against her stomach. Honking the horn three times in a row, I shout, “I love you, Vi!”

She giggles and cups her hands around her mouth. “Love you so much, Hart! Don’t be a stranger!”

With that, I peel off down the street where I spent eighteen long years. I’m finally free from the shackles of the man that most of my home town loves, but I despise.

My childhood wasn’t the worst it could have been, but it certainly wasn’t rainbows and butterflies, either. We didn’t hurt for money—my dad always held a steady job as a construction site manager. To the public, he was a hardworking man who let loose every now and then. To me, he was neglectful in every sense of the word. He’d arrive home late into the night, the smell of booze permeating off his body. I didn’t get theHey, how are you? How was school? Do you need help with your homework?greeting that most normal kids my age got. If I was lucky, I would get a small grunt. If I hit the lottery, he would sit at the kitchen table and scarf down his food silently. We lived ina middle-class neighborhood in a cookie-cutter house, but I was painfully alone.

I glance down at my phone to take a quick look at the GPS before crankingKendrick Lamar Radioto the highest volume.I throw my arm out the window, feeling the sweltering summer heat pass by and looking forward to my new life.

After a few gas breaks, my stomach growls, alerting me that it’s time to grab food. My eyes rake over the interstate signs with fast food options on them and I ultimately settle on a drive thru burger joint. Because I’m antsy to get back on the road, I try to open the greasy wrapper of the burger while simultaneously squeezing out ketchup and keeping my eyes on the road. The ketchup squirts on my shirt.Shoot.Running my thumb up the seam, I wipe it off and lick my fingers clean. It baffles me how I survive on my own sometimes.

After a few more hours on the road, I park at the leasing office where the ticket to my new life is behind those two glass doors. I pop in to grab my key at the front desk.

“Good afternoon, welcome to Coastal Leases. How can I help you?” The woman behind a small desk in the corner of the office waves me over to take a seat.

“I’m here to pick up the keys to my apartment.” Thankfully, I filled out all the other forms online weeks ago, so I can head straight to my new home.

“Of course! I’ll just need your ID.”

I fetch my wallet out of the back pocket of my pants, pulling the ID out of the worn leather pocket. After I hand it to her, she nods with a small smile and digs in a drawer to fish out a labeled set of keys just for me.

“Aha! Here it is.” Holding it in the air, she double checks the name and hands the keys over.

“Thank you for having this ready. I appreciate it.” I flash her my charming smile in hopes that she’ll develop a soft spot for me in case I need anything for the apartment.

Her cheeks blush as she looks down at her desk and fiddles with her blue pen. She looks young enough to be a Springs U student, so being friendly couldn't hurt. Walking out the door, I look back and flash her a wink before I settle in the car.

Fifteen minutes later, the cool air conditioning of my new apartment hits my face. I couldn’t have picked a better place to live. It’s fully furnished and big enough for Violet and I to live comfortably when she joins me next year. The echo of my footsteps rattle through the freshly painted, white walls as I plop down on the comfortable, brown couch. My mind wanders to the many football games I plan to watch in this spot. I’m ready to make memories here. I look around at the kitchen area. A plain wooden table with two chairs and two barstools are tucked under the counter cut out area. I envision laughing at that table with friends after cooking a meal or ordering fast food after a late night out at the bar. I’m ready to behappy.

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