The Mafia's Arrangement

Chapter 5

Aspen POV

Carson runs up after me after our Ender Project meeting. Does this kid have an off switch? He’s going on about some meteor shower and weird planet alignment tomorrow night.

“Anyways, so what do you think?”

“What do I think about what?” I say with death apparent in my voice, but that doesn’t apparently seem to bother him at all as he keeps up his chipper mood. Are all swimmers this chipper? Maybe too much water has gone up to their brain.

“Going to see the meteor shower and the planet alignment. The alignment is supposed to be super powerful.”

“Is that right?” I say again with my dead pan voice. Carson doesn’t stop, but rather, chooses to continue his joyful banter. Oh, brother.

“Yeah, they say relationships that form then are passionate and fiery. Couples last forever.” I nod along like I’m interested in his little quirky planet trivia for the insane. “So, how about it? As a first date?” I pause.

“That’s a little intense for a first date, don’t you think?” I say that as a warning to him if he decides to ask someone else because if he truly believed in that mumbo jumbo crap, then maybe he needs to find someone else gullible too.

“Oh, well. How about this weekend? Maybe we can catch a movie.” Carson grins at me sheepishly as the girls around who overheard our conversation look like they’re about to stab me if only Carson weren’t here to witness their unlady like behavior.

“I’m not interested in relationships. I appreciate the gesture.” I give him my generic response. He looks disappointed, yet somehow, he still looks way too happy. I mean for someone that I just turned down, I would think he would do something, I don’t know, more.

“I understand. I hope we can still be friends.” I don’t really need anymore of those right now either, but I don’t tell him that. I just nod and get into the parking garage after we go our separate ways. A car I know far too well zooms into the garage.

“In. Now.” J commands me and I oblige…

Holden POV

“Goal!” Riley yells out as Bast hits his hockey stick against the ice. I just scored another goal against Bast, since he’s playing goalie and all. My heart is pounding on adrenaline.

“Alright, switch, switch.” Tom offers to Bast to switch out the position just as the loud creaky door opens. We all turn to see who it is.

J. Damn, he’s late. He’s never late. I called him like five times before Riley and Tom told me to not bother. He was with Kenneth figuring out a plan. Maybe he finally figured it out.

J walks in and gestures someone behind him to come along. There’s over twenty men on the ice and tens in the stands just thrilled to see us knocking each other down. J looks around to us, but he turns again to the other side of the door to convince whoever it is to come in.

Kenneth walks in alongside a.. is that.. a girl? My heart beats even harder against this adrenaline rush. Kenneth, the girl, and J walk up to my father, who jumps out of his seat with utter joy. My father buries that small framed girl in a very excited hug that causes everyone to look over at them even more.

Riley and Tom nudge at each other and look up, confused and a bit angry? The two of them get out of the rink and hurry on over to the commotion. s**t.

“Do we know her?” Bast asks me in a whisper as I slowly shake my head as I think about it. What are you doing, J?

They seem to have a small argument at the top of the stands until they start heading to the office at the very back. The office is enclosed at the top of the stadium with a view below, completely soundproof. J walks down the stands and gestures for us to come over.

“Come up.” He’s utterly exhausted and seems destroyed. I mean, he’s my best friend, I should know.

“Everything alright?” I ask him, but he shakes his head.

“Just come up.” Bast and I share a glance before we decide to head up there. When we are in the office, Riley and Tom are arguing with Kenneth.

“This is f*****g insane! You can’t ask her to do that!” Tom yells out just as we walk in and close the door. Kenneth has his hands on his head as he sits behind the desk with my father.

“I am not losing this war, Tom. Now, stop it.”

“You can’t be serious.” Riley drops the pads off his body as he stands between the girl on the side that is just simply watching the hockey below us and Kenneth. “We didn’t keep this a secret only for her to die at 22.”

“Boys.” Kenneth gestures for Bast and I to come closer. Once we do, the Chiu’s share an uncomfortable look with one another.

“Just tell them.” The girl finally says something as she looks over.

“Aspen?!” Bast answers with shock. “I knew you looked familiar. What are you doing here?”