Page 7 of Scoreless Nights

Somehow, as soon as my dad asked if she could stay with me, I got all those old feelings back. I was angry for no reason and had anxiety about how to speak to her without being an asshole. Having her in my space was going to be tiresome.

Especially after I accidently called her beautiful.

Because she was definitely fucking gorgeous.

Lillian always had a beauty to her that was hard to deny. She was blonde, with bright blue eyes, and almost everyone I met that knew her thought she was a miniature Barbie doll. Now that she was all grown up and filled out, she looked better than Barbie herself, yet had an innocence that came from having Gloria and Dad fuss over her every move.

Miami was going to eat her up and spit her out.

With an early practice the next day, I didn’t think I would see her until I got home, but when I opened my bedroom door, she was fully dressed with her shoes in her hand, and her bags dragging behind her toward the door.

“You leaving?”

She jumped and turned around, like she had been caught stealing. “What are you doing up?”

“I have a job. What are you doing? It's Saturday.”

“Well, I know how awkward it is having me here. I swear this wasn’t my idea. And I told you I would leave.”

“Do you have any idea how much shit our parents will give us if you go to a hotel?”

“I have friends,” she stood up straighter. “They said I can stay with them.”

“And Gloria?” I asked.

Before Lillian could answer, her phone started ringing and she gasped when she saw the caller ID. She dropped her shoes and bags, then ran toward me and pulled me down next to her on the couch.

“It's our parents on Facetime. Smile. Be happy.”

“Hey Mom!” Lillian said when she answered. She held the phone up on herself only until I could get my brain to function again. Then I heard Gloria asking where I was. “Right here!”

The camera moved to my face, and I smiled, trying to look happy like Lillian told me to do. “Hi!”

“Oh, seeing you two together again warms my heart.”

“Uh, yeah, it’s good having her here,” I mumbled, not fooling anyone except Gloria, who always saw roses and glitter, even when it was black and moldy right in front of her. She was the happiest and most positive person I had ever known, and it was exhausting.

“We got to talking last night and thought maybe we could come down.”

“What?” Lillian yelled, not liking that idea at all, and I agreed with her, that was an awful idea.

“I know you just got there, but you know how much we love family time. We don’t have a date yet, but I was thinking it’d be fun to come down while you're there.”

“I have a game in Charlotte on Monday,” I blurted.

“We know,” my dad said from off screen somewhere. “We will plan around your schedule. Just wanted to give you a heads up.”

“Well that’s exciting,” Lillian offered, and I shot her a nasty glance. “Um Cruz was about to leave for work, and I need coffee.”

“Oh yes, yes. You and your coffee,” Gloria laughed. “Drink your water, too. Call me tonight!”

“Sure thing, Mom.” Lillian sighed and said her goodbyes, then hung up. She turned to me with a cringe and covered her eyes with her hand.

“Why are they like this?” She moaned.

“You would know better than me.”

“How am I supposed to stay with friends when they may show up at any given minute?”

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