Destiny's Road, page 9
part #1 of Destiny Saga Series
"Things seem to be going better between you two."
"Yeah, they are Mrs. Bell. Zoe really helped out there. Whatever she said to Tina seems to have worked."
We ate a quiet dinner and went to bed early. I was lying on my side and spooning against Zoe, holding her tight.
"Dr. Snider had a lot of good things to say about you. I think she was impressed."
"Good. I am glad."
"Did you really tell her that if she said I shouldn't see you, you would break up with me?"
"Well, we aren't dating. You made that very clear."
"You know what I mean."
"Yeah, I do. And yes, I told her that. Your health and safety are really important to me. If I thought I was bad for you, bad for your recovery, I would take myself out of the picture. I promised to protect you. There is a saying, 'A man's word is his bond.' I believe that. I will always protect you, even if it is from yourself. Or from me."
"But that would hurt me."
"It would make you sad. But that would be temporary."
I felt a tear hit my arm.
"Don't be sad baby. She didn't say I was a problem. In fact, she said the opposite, that I should stay with you and support you. It was a hurdle with dangers just as scary as your dating plan. We passed that hurdle."
She turned around to face me and gave me a short kiss.
"So you promise to protect me?"
"Always and forever."
She curled up, still crying, and fell asleep against me. It took me a long time to drift off.
Chapter 8
Zoe was really quiet the next morning. We didn’t say much to each other. I won’t lie. I was starting to get nervous. I had thought the trip to Dr. Snider’s went well, but clearly, there was some blow-back. We ate breakfast in silence and I excused myself to go home. It was Saturday and I could tell Zoe wanted some alone time.
As soon as I lay down on my bed, Tina burst into my room. She was clearly in a good mood.
“You won’t believe what happened, yesterday.”
I sat up as I asked, “What?”
“Steven Mertz asked me out.”
“Who?”
“He’s really popular. And he asked me out.”
She was bouncing up and down.
“Great. I am happy for you.”
“I have to call Zoe and tell her.”
And with that, Tina bounced out of my room. I guess she and Zoe are friends, now.
I hadn’t been to the Dojo at the previous week and didn’t want to slide. I was working hard on the final steps to get my G4 grade. Krav Maga originally had a belt grading system similar to other martial arts, and that still kind of existed. But later there was a patch system instituted. Each belt covered several patches. There was P1 through P5, this was the Practitioner level. P5 was the first half of the Green belt. After the Practitioner patches, there was G1 through G5, which make up the Graduate category, which takes you through brown belt. Finally, there is the black belt that has all five of the patches for the expert grade. Getting my G4 would put me into brown belt and leave me one more patch before I was able to start working on Expert patches, which I really wanted to try. Expert grades cover more military type aspects and protection techniques.
I still had a few weeks until I could take my test, but I wanted to put in as much work as I could before it came time. I wanted to be ready. In the last hour, I got to spar some with one of the guys working on G5. I didn’t hold my own, but that was to be expected against someone with more experience. I learned a few things though, and that really is the whole point.
By the time I got home I was tired and sweaty, but I wasn’t moping about Zoe any more. I was still concerned but I had stopped feeling sorry for myself.
Dinner was strange. Margret had clearly been crying and she was really quiet. Tina glanced at me with a questioning look and then gave a head nod in Margret’s direction.
“Umm, Margret. Is everything okay?”
She sniffled, “Yeah. Everything is fine.”
“You have been crying. Something is wrong.”
“Nothing for you guys to worry about. Some trouble at work. I got my hours cut. Don’t worry, everything is okay.”
She had finished eating so she put her plate into the sink and went up to her room. Tina did not look mollified.
“I don’t think it’s nothing.”
“I agree. Let me think for a minute.”
Asking Margret again would clearly not give us any answers. I went over to the table where we kept the mail and started digging through it. There were a bunch of bills, some of them different colors. I read each one, and learned that the different colored bills were past due.
“I think we have money problems.”
“But, mom has a good job.”
“Yeah, but I don’t think we have the whole story. I don’t think things are going well at her work, and the cut in hours means we will have less money to pay these bills.”
“So what are we going to do?”
“I don’t know. Give me till tomorrow to talk to some people. I would leave your mom alone about this for right now, she is already upset. At least until we are sure there is nothing we can do.”
Tina did not look confident, “I guess. But we are kids, what can we do?”
“I don’t know.”
It took me a very long time to fall asleep.
Sunday had passed with me trying to work out a plan in my head. We went to church and afterwards I did some yard work and helped clean up around the house. It was a productive day even if my mind was not in the work.
Monday morning I spent my run working through both the problem with Zoe and the problem with Margret. I didn’t have enough experience with either to know what to do. I needed some advice from an adult.
When I got back, Tina had already laid out my clothes so I dressed and quickly ran out to Zoe’s house. When I knocked, Zoe opened the door and laid a giant kiss on me.
“I think I like how you say good morning.”
She was pressed against me in a hug, still wearing my t-shirt and the shorts she slept in. “I just wanted you to know everything is okay. I was just a little freaked out Friday, is all. I told you I was still bent. Thanks for giving me time to work through stuff. I have to go change for school.”
She gave me another squeeze and took off up the stairs.
I took the opportunity to corner Mrs. Bell.
“I need some advice.”
She smiled at me, “You are doing just fine. She just needed some thinking time.”
I stopped for a moment, “Oh, no. Not about Zoe, although I am very glad she is in a good mood, today. Friday just about killed me with how sad she looked.”
“So, what’s wrong then?”
“It’s my family. Margret is having trouble at work, and we are having money problems. What would it take for a fifteen year old to get a job?”
“Oh, dear. Well, you have to be sixteen to work in Texas, but they allow for some hardship exceptions. There is a form you have to fill out at the courthouse, and get approved.”
“Could you take me to the courthouse today after school?”
“Yeah, I can do that. Do you want me to help out? Is there anything I can do?”
“I don’t think so, Mrs. Bell. I think if Margret knew I knew, and if she knew, I told other people, it would upset her more. I could use an advisor though. Some of this stuff is beyond my experience and I need an adult to talk to sometimes.”
“You can always talk to me, sweetie.”
“Thanks, Mrs. B.”
I got a pat on the cheek.
School went much better today. I was still distracted a bit, now because of Margret’s problem rather than Zoe, but I had a course of action. I was able to focus on my classes, and get my work done. That focus lasted until lunch when Tami pulled me aside.
“Judy told me that Steven Mertz asked out your sister.”
“Yeah, Tina seemed really happy.”
“Judy is worried. Apparently, Mertz has a bad rep. I knew his older brother Doug before he went to juvie. The whole family is bad news.”
“Really? Tina said he was popular.”
“Yeah, but I bet with the wrong crowd. Just watch out for her.”
“Thanks for the heads up, Tami.”
She smiled sideways at me, and pulled herself into me, “Now about that second helping.”
Her eyes were laughing, and I knew she was teasing me, well, mostly.
“Hey,” Zoe yelled out from the lunch table, “hands off, hussy.”
Tami laughed and stuck her tongue out at Zoe, but went to sit down.
“Sorry, Zoe, but I had to take a shot. We are all going to Little Joe’s for a snack after practice. You two in?”
I shook my head, “Zoe can go but I have to go to the courthouse.”
Zoe looked concerned, “Why?”
“I need to get a hardship permit to be allowed to work. Then I need to go fill out applications at burger places or what not. I need to find a job.”
Amanda piped up, “Why do you need a job.”
“Margret, my adoptive mom, is having some job problems. I think the family needs help so I need to start contributing.”
Josh turned to the rest of us, “My uncle needs a general shop help at his engineering company. It’s mostly sweeping, running errands … that kind of thing. I can put in a good word for you. I have a thing tonight, but call me tomorrow night.”
Sweet! Zoe was out of her funk, and I had a lead on a job that wasn’t flipping burgers. Pretty good way to start my week.
Chapter 9
I woke up earlier than usual, the next morning. Hair was covering my face and making it a little hard to breathe. I instantly recognized the soft, gentle scent of Zoe's hair. She is a pretty light sleeper. So, as usual, she woke up when I started to try to get untangled from the arm and leg gripping me.
I received a sweet kiss and a grimace.
"'Morning breath,' but totally worth it."
I hopped out of bed and pulled her with me, "I have just the thing for that."
Seeing the coast was clear, I dragged Zoe into the bathroom and showed her the extra toothbrush I had hidden in one of the bathroom drawers. She quickly started to brush her teeth.
"Since you seem intent on crawling through my window pretty regularly I figured I should start providing you with some amenities."
She turned and smiled at me, but she still had the toothbrush in her mouth and a bit of toothpaste drooled out as she did. It was both adorable and totally ridiculous at the same time. We both broke down laughing before catching ourselves. I hoped we hadn't woken up Margret.
Back in my room, she started to pick out my clothes when she laid a bombshell on me.
"Today is the next step in my plan. You have to get a date."
"I thought that is what we did with Tami."
"No, silly. That was a practice date. You have to get a real date. Don't worry, I have picked the girl out and already talked to her. She is prepped for our ... unusual circumstances. Her name is Vicki Hollabrand. I have known her for years, and she is a really sweet girl. You will like her, she is really cute."
"Zoe, I wish I could talk you out of this plan. I don't need to go date some random girl."
"Nope, we are sticking to the plan." She stopped what she was doing and pointed a finger in my face. "I want you to listen to me very closely, Caspian Grey. Don't take this for granted, and don't blow this off. You will give her your best effort when asking her out. You will give her your full attention on your date. And you will give it your best shot. If you hit it off and I am out of the picture, then so be it. You will still be my best friend, and I will still love you. But I need this. I need for you to give 100% to this. Do you understand me?"
I didn't answer for a long while. Zoe probably thought I was weighing her statement, but that wasn't it. I don't even think she had noticed, but Zoe had said she loved me. It was like the air was knocked out of my stomach. I was having trouble hearing and the world started to swim.
"Cas?"
Okay, I was quiet too long and she got worried.
"Sorry. You're right. It wouldn't be fair to this girl to purposefully make the date go bad or anything. I couldn't do that to someone else. I will give it my best effort, I promise."
"Great. I knew I could count on you. Now, she has the same lunch as us but sits with some of the smart kids at another table. You need to go ask her out at lunch."
"Sure thing."
I only wished I was as upbeat about this as I tried to sound.
I had trouble focusing for most of the rest of the morning leading up to lunch. I was incredibly nervous. Not about asking out Vicki, since clearly Zoe had worked out those details already, but about what it might mean for Zoe and me. I was already insanely attached to Zoe. She was my first real friend, fixed my relationship with Tina and was the first one to show me love, even if we hadn't mutually acknowledged it as that yet. The thought of doing something, even accidentally, to hurt my bond with her was gnawing at me.
When Zoe and I entered the cafeteria, Zoe pointed out a tall blond girl just sitting at a table across the big room from where our group's table was.
When I hesitated I got a slap on the ass and a, "Go get her, Tiger."
In a daze, I made my way over and sat in the open seat next to Vicki. She just turned to me and smiled, although everyone else at her table looked at me like I was an alien.
I pulled together as much courage as I could muster.
"Hi, Vicki, I am Zoe's friend Cas. I was wondering if you wanted to go out this Friday."
"Yeah, I think I would like that," she said. She wrote down a phone number on a piece of paper. "Here is my number. Call me Thursday night, and we will work out the details."
"Great. Talk to you then."
My cool exterior was in stark contrast to all the crazy thoughts bouncing around my head. I made my way back to the normal lunch table. I noticed but didn't really internalize the fact that everyone at her table looked like someone had just told them who killed Jimmy Hoffa. What was weird was most the kids at my table, except Zoe, had the same look. Zoe just looked smug.
Amanda grabbed my arm as soon as I sat down, "What did you just do?"
"Huh? I asked Vicki on a date for Friday. Why?"
Tami's mouth hung open, "You asked out Vicki Hollabrand?"
"Umm, yes?" I was at a loss to understand what the big deal was. "Why is everyone freaking out?"
"You don't know who Vicki is, do you?"
"No. I know she is a friend of Zoe's, that's it."
"Cas, Vicki is the only daughter of the richest family in the city. He has like a bazillion dollars. Also, I don't think anyone has ever asked Vicki out ... ever."
All the girls were leaning in and Rachel threw in her two cents, "I am also pretty sure she swings the other way."
"Really. She seemed to like the idea and agreed to go out with me."
I found it weird no one asked what Zoe thought about this, but since they all knew about the trial date with Tami, I bet they knew the whole deal. It was weird from my vantage point as I watched kids slowly move from one table to the other as the gossip of my asking Vicki out spread. You would think something major had happened. I looked over and Vicki caught my eye. She smiled and gave me a wink.
Clearly, I was way over my head.
I knew practice was going to be awkward. Knowing that I was going to have to get a job, there was no way that was going to mesh with a football schedule. I enjoyed playing, but the game didn't rule my life like it did a lot of other kids. I had no dreams about playing in the big leagues or college glory. I just didn't see my life going that way and it wasn't what I really wanted. So giving up playing wasn't a big deal in the theoretical sense. But I also hated letting people down, and I was afraid I was going to let both the coaches and my new friends down. I got to practice as fast as I could and found the JV coach still in his office.
"Coach, you have a sec?"
"Sure, Grey, what can I do for you?"
"Well, my family is having some problems and I am going to have to get an after-school job. With my studies, this doesn't leave a lot of time for practices or games. I guess what I am trying to say is I need to quit the team."
