Gameplay

Chapter 2

~Elena~

“Wake up Lena, we are here” I hear Ale’s voice far away. I groan and tune away from his voice. I feel a nudge in my left shoulder, and I open my eyes to see a house, that I recognize. I yawn and rub the sleep off my eyes. I look at Ale and he just smiles at me.

“Let’s get you settled in” I give him a small smile and nod my head.

I open my car door and before my feet can touch the ground, two strong arms snatched me up and wrap me in a tight hug. I squeak out and start laughing, quick peeks start being spread all around my face. I don’t fight it because there is only one of my brothers’ teammates that treats me with so much love. I look up and see some freckles, light blue eyes and a ginger buzz cut hair. I let out a sigh and placed my head on his wide chest, all while tightening my grip around him.

“Stop being all lovey dovey with my sister man!” I hear Ale groan out in disgust and I can feel his eye roll.

“Oh, I have missed you so much my little chocolate chip” Zack says as he puts me down on the ground after twirling me around a few times, I giggle at his silly nickname. “And you shut up! It’s not my fault you are still sassy about Lena being my favorite Ramirez” Zack said, turning to face my brother and crossing his hands over his chest.

“Don’t let my mom hear that, or she won’t be cooking you anymore food” Ale fired back, narrowing his eyes at Zack. Something that Zack loves more other than his girlfriend it’s my mom’s cooking.

Zack draws in a breath and looks at me with puppy dog eyes. If any stranger saw this exchange, they wouldn’t believe that the man in front of me is 23 years old and a tight end on the football field for The Devils.

“Don’t worry Zack, I will sneak in food for you” I whisper at him loud enough for Ale to hear me. He groans once again and then storms off to the back of the truck to take out my boxes. Zack pulls me in for another hug and spins me around. “Okay big guy, I’m getting dizzy” I squeal out and he puts me down with a smile.

“Come on, let me show you around.”

“What about the boxes?” I asked, looking back at Ale unloading his truck, but Zack drapes his arm on my shoulder and shoves me towards campus.

-

We walk around in silence because there was no need for this campus tour. I have already been here numerous times, but Zack wanted to take a walk, and who am I do deny it to him. Besides it’s been so long since the two of us just hang out. After a few minutes of walking around and people greeting Zack, he speaks up.

“So…” he says, prolonging the “o”

“Mhm?” I hummed out kicking a rock forward.

“Want to tell me what happened with you?” He asked and I stopped dead in my tracks. Zack had to walk back a few steps, so that he could drop his arm around my shoulder once again.

“I saw you when I rushed out the house, there was sadness in your eyes, well at least until I pampered you with kisses” he said, and I took a deep breath.

“Noah cheated on me with Adriana” I blew out and, without missing a second, he wrapped his hands around my body and hugged me tightly.

“I’m so sorry chocolate chip” he said as he planted a kiss on my head.

After a few minutes, Zack pulls out of the hug but holds me firmly in front of him. He scans my face looking for any type of emotion, but I just feel numbed when I think about the whole thing.

“You need ice cream and a good movie” he smiled sweetly at me, and I gave him a small smile in return.

Zack has always been the sweetest one out of Ale’s teammates towards me. While Ale was the one with attitude, Carlos the hot-headed one, Michael the silent one, Zack completed the group by being the sweet one.

“I’ve missed you ginger” I said, and he smiled, looking down on me.

We decided it was time to get back to the house, so we started walking back. After a few minutes' walking, I could already spot the house. Once closer to the house, I noticed a car that wasn’t there when I arrived. My eyes light up as I recognized the car.

Michael!

I sprint the rest of the way to the house, and I could hear the laugh that Zack let out when he saw my reaction to spotting Mike’s car outside. I rushed inside the house and heard voices in the kitchen. I walked in out of breath from the sprint and looked around, until I spotted his short black cornrow braids, sitting in one of the kitchens stole. I walked closer and wrapped my hands around his back. Mike stiffened for a second, but soon loosen up, when he takes a look at my little hands.

“Damn Lena, you nearly gave me a heart attack” he said with a laugh, I lose my grip around his neck, and he turns around to face me. Mike is a really big guy, with a height of 6’7, black skin that is as smooth as a baby’s butt, his words not mine and his light brown eyes are in full glory once he stands up and pulls me in for a hug.

“How have you been?” he asked, as I pulled out of the hug.

“Noah cheated on her” Zack said leaning against the entrance of the kitchen.

“Really ginger? I didn’t want the whole house to know about it!” I said glaring at him, but he just shrugged his arms and walked to the fridge, probably looking for something to eat.

“You need food and your bed” Mike said, going around the kitchen counter, he goes straight to the fridge and shoves Zack out of the way. Mike pulled out some ingredients and starts cooking something for me to eat.

-

I flopped onto my bed after eating and taking a shower. I had to move my petty party with Zack for another day, because all I wanted was my bed. I rest on my back looking at the white ceiling. I recall the events of today and I close my eyes and groan in frustration. I roll over and snatch my pillow and pull it towards my face. I let out a loud scream into the pillow and I feel some of my muscles relax.

I hear two knocks on the door, and I tell them to come in, even though my voice is muffled by the pillow. The door opens and I feel my bed dip at the weight of someone.

“Lena, can I ask you something?” Ale asked and I nod my head. “With everything that happened with Adriana and Noah, how come you still haven’t cried?” He asked and I moved my face out of the pillow to look at his worried dark brown eyes. “It’s got me worried and weirded out too” he said in a whisper. I just shrugged and rolled over, once again looking up at the ceiling.

“I guess…” I start but I can’t finish, when the tears finally pool in my eyes, and they start to fall. Ale pulls me in for a hug and lets me cry it all out.

Growing up with a walk out father was tough, especially for Ale. But Ale made sure that I was never in need of anything, especially a father. I think that’s where he got his so overprotective instincts. He knows I don’t have a father, so he stepped in and did whatever father is supposed to do. He taught me how to ride a bike, throw a punch, and even tried to teach me math in the kitchen table. We never actually did that again though, since we both ended up crying…

“Let it all out” he whispered while holding me in a protective hug.