Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ All Star Dreams (Ver. 3) ❯ Chapter Twenty Two ( Chapter 22 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: bekka_mouri_hibiki 
Betty and Robert talk over dinner while Daniel and Branslav talk at Daniel's house.
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Sports / Romance / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 05.08.2009 | Pages: 13 | Words: 5.0K | Visits: 189 | Status: Completed
Betty and Robert talk over dinner while Daniel and Branslav talk at Daniel's house.
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Sports / Romance / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 05.08.2009 | Pages: 13 | Words: 5.0K | Visits: 189 | Status: Completed
All-Star Dreams: Chapter Twenty Two
By Bekka Mouri-Hibiki
© Bekka Mouri-Hibiki 2007
Betty sat at the dining room table as Robert unloaded the bag from Chang Wang's. He frowned a little, “ I'll be right back. “
Betty watched as he walked back into the kitchen and started looking through drawers until he found what he was looking for. He came back with two plastic forks and a spoon. “ Didn't they give us forks? “ Betty asked.
“ No, “ Robert said as he handed her one of the forks, “ Just chopsticks. “
“ I can eat with those, “ Betty said.
“ I know you can but in case you want to switch over, “ Robert said. “ I'm just more comfortable with a fork right now. “
“ How are you hands anyway? “ Betty asked as he started taking out the containers.
“ They've almost healed. The gash on my left is still there but the smaller wounds are gone, “ Robert held out his right hand, “ Note I am not wearing bandages on this one anymore. “
“ I saw that, “ Betty nodded. “ That's why I asked. “
“ I'm ambidextrous but I still have to be careful, “ Robert said.
“ Oh? “ Betty perked up a little, smiling. “ I'm ambidextrous too. “
Robert smiled, “ Really? I hadn't noticed. “
“ I hadn't noticed with you either, “ Betty said.
“ You're the first person I've met outside of my own family that was that way, “ Robert said.
Betty smiled, “ That is awesome. “
“ My mom was where I got it from, “ Robert nodded. “ She said it runs in the family. “
Betty sighed, “ I got it from my father. It runs in his side of the family. “
“ Oh, “ Robert nodded. He decided to change the subject since it seemed Betty was uncomfortable with discussing her father. He continued to unload the containers from the sack then looked towards the kitchen, “ I think I'd better get some plates too. “
“ Yeah, “ Betty said. She watched as he went to the kitchen again, going through the cabinets. He came back with a couple of Styrofoam plates. “ No real plates? “
“ Yeah, “ Robert nodded once. “ Branslav either goes out to eat, eats take-out or TV dinners. He's not too big on cleaning up after himself so I guess it's a good thing. I don't think he ever learned how to. “
“ Oh. I guess not if he's like that, “ Betty said. “ He'd probably be drowning in filth otherwise. I bet he has a maid service come in to clean the house. “
Robert chuckled, “ Yeah. Probably. He did last thing I knew. “
“ Ah. Hey, is there anything to drink? “ Betty asked. " The medicine makes my throat dry. "
Robert nodded, “ There's a case of diet soda in the fridge. There's some beer, some booze in the freezer and bottled water too. You want me to grab you something? “
“ A soda please, “ Betty said.
“ Don't you want something stronger? “ Robert had a playful edge to it. “ I could always mix you a drink if you want something stronger. There's rum. “
Betty shook her head, “ No. I don't think it'll mix well with my pain medicine. “
“ Oh yeah. I didn't think about that. Soda it is then, “ Robert went back into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and got a can of soda for Betty and a can of beer for himself. He went back to the table but Betty frowned. “ What? “
“ I don't drink that kind of soda, “ Betty said quietly. “ I drink every other kind there is except that stuff. It makes me really sick to my stomach. “
Robert looked at it, “ Oh. Then I guess it's water then. “
Betty thought about it then sighed, “ I guess it'll have to be. “
Robert turned and went back to the fridge, grabbing a water. He went back to the table and handed Betty the bottle. “ Now. Are we set? “
“ I think so, “ Betty opened the water and took a drink. She eyed Robert's beer, wondering just how much of her dream would play out in the night ahead.
“ Good, “ Robert reached for one of the containers. “ Let's eat. “
**
Lotte and Martin were talking amongst themselves, discussing different tactics on how to charm the scout on their end. Branslav looked at his watch as he pushed his food around on his plate, unable to eat anything more. It had been an arduous forty-five minutes since Robert had left with Betty but it had felt twice as long. He had eaten almost everything on the plate but the few bites that were left didn't appeal to him at all.
He was too busy wondering what he would talk to Betty about when he got home. He had to make a good impression on her after abandoning her. He was pretty sure she felt he had after volunteering to look after her then taking off like he had. He also wondered what Robert would say to him once he had got home.
His best friend seemed really angry with his behavior but he couldn't tell him why he had behaved in such a way. Robert had been his closest friend since coming to America and he felt terrible about shutting him out. He didn't know how Robert would react to the truth though. He didn't know how to tell Robert he would get sent back to Slovenia if he didn't get signed to a big name team by the end of the season.
Even worse, he didn't know how he would tell Betty the same. It made him even more desperate to get to know her. He wanted to get to the point where she would fall in love with him and not leave his side no matter what. If that happened, she would go to Slovenia with him or so he hoped.
“ Branslav! “ Lotte snapped.
Branslav shook his head and looked at his stepsister, “ What is it? “
“ I've been calling your name for the last two minutes. What were you thinking about? “ Lotte said.
“ Nothing, “ Branslav sighed. “ Don't worry about it. “
“ He was probably thinking about Melissa, “ Martin said, stressing Betty's pen name sarcastically.
Branslav glared at him but said nothing. He looked at Lotte, “ Are we finished here? “
“ Yes. Yes we are. I will give you a lift back to the arena so you can get your car, “ Lotte said.
“ Can I have my cell phone back now? “ Branslav put his hand out for it.
“ Yes you may, “ Lotte got it out of her purse and handed it to him.
He turned it back on, finding he had three missed calls from Daniel. He slid out of the booth to let Lotte out. He let her get in front of him then followed her outside and started to dial Daniel's number. It rang a couple of times before he picked up, “ Hey big man. I've been trying to get you for at least an hour. “
“ My manager took my phone away, “ Branslav said as he followed Lotte out to her car. He waited as she unlocked the doors before getting in on the passenger side. “ What's up? “
“ I don't know if we can win tomorrow and I'm... “ Daniel's voice trailed off.
“ You're what? “ Branslav asked.
“ I'm scared, “ Daniel whispered. “ Martin said he'd send me home if we don't get a win soon. Man, I can't go home and face my pops if I get cut from the team. You know I turned down a full scholarship to college to play and he's been disappointed in me ever since. “
“ I know how you feel, “ Branslav sighed as Lotte got in on the driver's side. “ Why don't I come over and we can talk about it? “
“ That sounds good. I really need someone to talk to about this. I'm stressing out big time, “ Daniel said. He sounded like he was on the verge of crying. “ I should of listened to my pops man. I should have just went to college. “
“ What we should have done won't save us now. We need to concentrate on is what we're going to do, “ Branslav repeated one of Robert's favorite sayings without thinking about it. It was always part of his pep talks before a must-win game when he had been team captain.
“ How soon can you be here? “ Daniel asked as Lotte started the car and backed out of the parking space.
“ Lotte needs to take me to the arena and I'll come over as soon as I get my car, “ Branslav said. “ I'll get there as soon as I can after that. Perhaps half an hour. “
“ Thanks man, “ Daniel said.
“ I'll see you in a bit, “ Branslav said.
“ Okay. Later, “ Daniel said and hung up.
Branslav snapped his phone closed then noticed Lotte was staring at him. “ What? “
“ Who was that? “ Lotte asked.
“ It was Daniel. He's upset right now and I need to talk to him, “ Branslav said.
Lotte scoffed, “ You need to stop holding his hand. He's twenty-two now. It's not like he's a child anymore. “
“ I know how he feels, “ Branslav pointed out. “ I had someone to help me through. “
“ Yes, “ Lotte said. “ Robert. “
“ Yes, “ Branslav nodded. “ And he helped me so I have to help Daniel. “
“ You don't have to help anyone except for yourself, “ Lotte said. “ You can't let anyone hold you back. Look out for yourself and no one else. “
Branslav looked out the window, “ Whatever. I'll do what I want to do. “
“ While you're at it, I hope you think of a good excuse to tell Tomaz for why you came home a failure. If you come up with something good enough, you might not break his heart, “ Lotte said.
Branslav shut his eyes, “ Just get me to the arena. “
“ That's where I'm going, “ Lotte said. “ I've had enough of you and your foolishness for one night. “
**
Robert looked over at Betty's plate. The Kung Pow looked really good. “ Could I have a taste of that? “
“ Sure. Can I have a taste of yours? “ Betty pointed at his sesame chicken.
“ Yeah, “ Robert said. He reached over as she watched him. He stabbed a bite with his fork and ate it. “ Wow, “ He said.
“ What? “ Betty asked.
“ It tastes pretty good, “ Robert pointed at the container. “ I'm pretty sure they cut out a lot of the spices. It used to be a lot hotter. “
Betty reached over to Robert's plate with her chopsticks and got a bite of the sesame chicken, “ I don't know since it's just like it was last time. “
Robert shrugged as Betty ate the bite, “ Oh well right? “
“ Right, “ Betty said. She put down her chopsticks when she finished with the chicken, “ I'm full. “
“ I'm getting there myself, “ Robert sighed. He was surprised he had eaten so much considering he hadn't felt hungry since seeing Pauline with Richard. He looked towards the living room, “ Now we have to figure out something to watch. “
“ Didn't they give us fortune cookies? “ Betty looked at the bag. She was still nervous over the prospect of watching a movie with Robert.
Robert looked at her, “ I think so. You want to eat those first? “
“ Yeah, “ She nodded.
Robert smiled, “ You want to play that 'In bed' game again? “
Betty blushed, “ We don't have to. “
Robert smirked as he grabbed the bag and got out the cookies. “ I do. Pick one, “ He said as he held them out to Betty.
She looked right then looked left, reaching for the left one. “ This one. “
“ Then I guess I get this one, “ Robert said. “ Ladies first. “
Betty tore the wrapper off her cookie and cracked it open. She pulled the fortune out and looked at it. “ 'You will change someone's future... in bed.' “
Robert quirked his mouth, “ That didn't sound right. “
“ Sometimes they don't, “ Betty blushed and shrugged. “ Read yours. “
Robert tore open his cookie and cracked it in half. He arched an eyebrow, “ There's two. “
“ One time, I got one with four. The machine must have spazzed out. What do they say? “ Betty asked.
Robert looked at the first one, “ 'Love is the only medicine for a broken heart... in bed' again. “
“ What's the second one say? “ Betty leaned closer.
“ 'Love will come from out of nowhere! Look out!' “ Robert said.
“ That's a load of crap, “ Betty said. “ It doesn't say that. It's usually the same one. “
Robert shook his head and held out the paper to her, “ Read it yourself. “
Betty looked at it and frowned, “ Oh. That's weird. “
“ Yeah, “ Robert said. “ It doesn't sound right with 'in bed' tacked on it. It just sounds... off. “
Betty sighed, “ Sometimes the game doesn't work out so well. It's okay. It's just a game. “
Robert looked at the fortunes again. He thought it was weird he had gotten the same one twice. He had joked the first time he had gotten it but getting it again made him feel unsettled. He was trying his best not to get interested with Betty in spite of the pull he felt to go to her.
He had promised himself he'd wait to see how things would play out with Branslav for his sake and his friend's sake. Flirting with Betty was fun but he was scared it was becoming more serious for him than he anticipated. He didn't want to hurt his best friend or break his promise to himself. “ Yeah. It's just a game, “ He sighed.
Betty looked towards the living room, “ How about that movie now? “
“ Sure, “ Robert stood up, “ Let me get your crutches. “
Betty stood up slowly, using the table for support. “ What kind of movies does Branslav like anyway? “
Robert walked over with the crutches, “ He likes all kinds of stuff. We'll just have to see what he has. “
“ Oh, “ Betty said as Robert helped her mount the crutches. She crutched around the table, Robert following close behind her.
“ Take it easy on those steps down, “ Robert said as they neared the living room. There were four steps that led down into it. “ Take your time on them. “
“ Could you get in front in case I pitch forward? “ Betty asked.
“ Sure, “ Robert said. He walked around to her front, trying not to stare at her chest. “ Put the crutches down first then step. “
“ I think I've got that down from earlier, “ Betty nodded and did as she was told. She stepped down carefully then repeated the process until she was at the bottom. She had made it down the back stairs with Robert in front of her when they had left earlier in the evening.
“ Excellent, “ Robert smiled. “ Good going. “
“ Thanks, “ Betty blushed a little. His smile made her insides quiver. He had the sweetest one she had ever seen in her life.
Robert quirked his mouth, " What? Why are you blushing again? "
Betty smiled, " I can't help it. You've got a nice smile. "
Robert couldn't help but grin, " Aw. Thanks. "
" You're welcome, " Betty replied. She looked around the living room, " Now where? "
“ Now to the couch, “ Robert said. He walked with Betty as she crutched over to it, taking her crutches after she sat down. He carried them to the corner of the room then walked over to Branslav's DVD cabinet.
“ So what does he have? “ Betty asked.
Robert looked at the titles of the movies and frowned, “ I have never heard of any of these. Then again, I've been busy playing and raising a child so... “
“ Bring some over, “ Betty didn't like the way his voice trailed off after mentioning Alex. She wanted to distract him by talking about the movies. “ I'll tell you if I've seen them or not. “
Robert grabbed a stack and carried them over to the couch. Betty looked at each of them and picked one, “ This one here is pretty good. “
“ 'Into The Valley Of Fire'? “ Robert looked at it. “ What's it about? “
Betty flipped the box over, “ It's been a while since I saw it last. Let me see. It's about a man that has to save his former lover from a band of cultist that worship a fire god. If the man doesn't rescue the former lover, she will be sacrificed to the fire god. “
“ She's his former lover. Why would he want to go after her? “ Robert asked. " If it were me, I'd let the fire god have Pauline. "
“ See, that's the thing. He's not over her yet. Even though she broke his heart and they broke up, he still has feelings for her. If he hated her, he wouldn't care if she got sacrificed. It's long and complicated but it's interesting. “
“ Really? “ Robert asked.
“ Yeah, “ Betty said.
“ Do you want to see it? “ Robert said.
“ Sure, “ Betty handed him the box. “ It's really is good. “
Robert shrugged, “ What have I got to lose, right? “
“ Just a couple of hours, “ Betty said.
Robert walked over to the DVD player and turned it on. He put the disc in and hit 'play'. “ I'm going to go get my beer. “
“ Bring my water please, “ Betty said.
“ Sure, “ Robert said and walked back to the dining room.
**
“ Man, that's terrible. I never knew, “ Daniel said after Branslav told him why getting into a big league team was so urgent for him.
“ No one does. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone but I couldn't keep it in anymore, “ Branslav said. “ We have to figure out how to get the guys to cooperate or it may not just be us getting cut. “
“ What? “ Daniel furrowed his brow.
“ Martin said it tonight. I don't know if he was trying to scare me or if he was serious. He said if we don't shape up, the whole team is getting cut and he'll start over from scratch, “ Branslav looked at the floor as he talked.
“ He can't do that, can he? “ Daniel was shocked. “ He just can't throw away the whole damn team. “
“ I think he can, “ Branslav said. “ He is the owner. “
“ But disbanding the whole team? That's like shooting yourself in the foot, “ Daniel said. “ He needs to get rid of the slackers and keep us. Won't he renew your contract so you can stay? “
“ No. He won't. He gave me five years to make it out of the prep league and that's it. If I can't get out, he's going to send me home and I'll have to start all over again, “ Branslav said.
“ What if another prep league team signs you? Can you stay that way? “ Daniel asked.
Branslav shook his head, “ The contract states I have to go back to Slovenia and only then can another team solicit me. I don't know how Martin got that approved by the prep league organization but it was. “
“ Shit man. You're fucked, “ Daniel shook his head.
“ Sideways, “ Branslav said.
“ And upside down, “ Daniel added. “ Have you told Robert? “
“ How can I? He's got too much going on already and I don't want to worry him, “ Branslav said. “ I don't want to get him involved in it. “
“ Oh, “ Daniel said. “ I guess you haven't told Betty either then. “
“ I barely know her, “ Branslav said. “ She might think I'm saying that I don't have time for her and she'll give up on me. I'm trying so hard to make it work out but I can't. If it isn't Martin butting in, it's things happening to keep us apart like that practice. I had planned on getting in good with her today by caring for her but that got all messed up. “
“ I thought the two of you would hit it off great. What's going so wrong? “ Daniel looked confused. “ You had a spark when you met. “
“ I know we did but it hasn't been much more than that, “ Branslav sighed. “ Nothing has happened like I had hoped it would. “
“ Maybe you should just go with the flow, “ Daniel offered. " See what happens then go from there. "
“ That could be it, “ Branslav sighed. “ She nothing like other girls I've known so it's hard to know what to expect from her. “
“ It's not good to compare girls to one another, “ Daniel said. “ They are different and they get all pissy when you do it. “
“ What should I do then? “ Branslav asked. “ She's so quiet and isn't into being close. I like to be close to a girl you know? She acts like I'm being too forward. “
“ Why don't you try to be her friend but keep your distance? Get to know each other and find stuff to bond over. Some girls just have to get comfortable before they'll open up, “ Daniel said.
“ Robert said almost the same thing, “ Branslav muttered.
“ Really? That's cool we think a bit alike, “ Daniel said. He noted that Branslav looked like he didn't think it was so great. He sighed, “ I mean it though. You have to get to know the girl so she'll want to know you. “
“ Get to know the girl huh? “ Branslav asked.
“ Yeah, “ Daniel said. “ They like it when you're interested in them for themselves and not just because they got a nice rack or a cute ass. “
“ My other girlfriends aren't that way, “ Branslav said. " They like it when I notice those things. "
“ Those girls are hoochies. There's not much to them anyway, “ Daniel replied.
Branslav felt offended but Daniel did have a point. He realized that the girls he had dated before were a bit vapid but they had served his needs quite well. He sighed, “ I guess so. “
“ Betty seems like a good lady and you need to treat her that way, not like those girls you usually date man. She's a good person and you got to respect that or she's going to bolt on you, “ Daniel sounded firm.
Branslav furrowed his brow, “ Wait. How come you know so much about girls? I thought you lived in the middle of nowhere. “
Daniel laughed, “ I did but there's hoochies in the middle of nowhere too. “
“ Oh, “ Branslav said. “ So I take it you do know what you're talking about. “
“ Yeah I do, “ Daniel looked at the floor. “ I made the mistake of treating a nice girl like a hoochie. Man, I was into this chick and I did everything I could to impress her. She got to like me and I took her to prom. I thought I was going to get some but ended up going home with a black eye and the girl never spoke to me again. I really liked her but I fucked it up big time. “
“ Ouch, “ Branslav said.
“ She was one of those girls that are saving themselves for marriage so I guess she freaked out when I tried to get my groove on. She didn't know what to do so she hit me, “ Daniel sighed. “ Only later did I find out she was a virgin and I felt bad because I thought she was a slut like the other girls I knew. “
Branslav looked at Daniel, “ So she didn't know what to do or how to react to the situation? “
Daniel nodded, “ Yeah. Well, that and she didn't want to do it to begin with. “
“ Oh, “ Branslav said. “ I've never been with a virgin before so I don't know if I'd know how to handle one. “
“ But Betty isn't one, “ Daniel said. “ No virgin could write like she does. It's all too accurate and right on for her to be one. “
“ That's what I thought too, “ Branslav said. He looked at Daniel seriously, “ Don't tell anyone I told you this. “
“ What? “ Daniel looked confused.
“ I listened while the nurse was asking Betty some questions in the hospital and she told the nurse she's a virgin, “ Branslav said.
“ Shit. No way, “ Daniel said.
“ Yes way, “ Branslav said.
“ I don't believe it, “ Daniel said.
“ Well I do, “ Branslav said. “ It would explain why she acts the way she does towards me. “
“ Yeah and maybe she just doesn't like you, “ Daniel replied.
Branslav growled, “ I didn't need to hear that. I shouldn't have told you. “
“ It's just that it's hard to believe, “ Daniel said.
“ Well I believe her, “ Branslav said.
“ Then don't treat her like a whore, “ Daniel said. “ It's that simple. “
“ So how do I get in good with her? “ Branslav asked.
Daniel shrugged, “ I can't think of anything else but what I told you already. “
Branslav nodded, “ I guess I'll try that then. “
Daniel nodded, “ Now. Can we talk about how we're going to win the game tomorrow? “
“ Yeah. We need to, “ Branslav said.
By Bekka Mouri-Hibiki
© Bekka Mouri-Hibiki 2007
Betty sat at the dining room table as Robert unloaded the bag from Chang Wang's. He frowned a little, “ I'll be right back. “
Betty watched as he walked back into the kitchen and started looking through drawers until he found what he was looking for. He came back with two plastic forks and a spoon. “ Didn't they give us forks? “ Betty asked.
“ No, “ Robert said as he handed her one of the forks, “ Just chopsticks. “
“ I can eat with those, “ Betty said.
“ I know you can but in case you want to switch over, “ Robert said. “ I'm just more comfortable with a fork right now. “
“ How are you hands anyway? “ Betty asked as he started taking out the containers.
“ They've almost healed. The gash on my left is still there but the smaller wounds are gone, “ Robert held out his right hand, “ Note I am not wearing bandages on this one anymore. “
“ I saw that, “ Betty nodded. “ That's why I asked. “
“ I'm ambidextrous but I still have to be careful, “ Robert said.
“ Oh? “ Betty perked up a little, smiling. “ I'm ambidextrous too. “
Robert smiled, “ Really? I hadn't noticed. “
“ I hadn't noticed with you either, “ Betty said.
“ You're the first person I've met outside of my own family that was that way, “ Robert said.
Betty smiled, “ That is awesome. “
“ My mom was where I got it from, “ Robert nodded. “ She said it runs in the family. “
Betty sighed, “ I got it from my father. It runs in his side of the family. “
“ Oh, “ Robert nodded. He decided to change the subject since it seemed Betty was uncomfortable with discussing her father. He continued to unload the containers from the sack then looked towards the kitchen, “ I think I'd better get some plates too. “
“ Yeah, “ Betty said. She watched as he went to the kitchen again, going through the cabinets. He came back with a couple of Styrofoam plates. “ No real plates? “
“ Yeah, “ Robert nodded once. “ Branslav either goes out to eat, eats take-out or TV dinners. He's not too big on cleaning up after himself so I guess it's a good thing. I don't think he ever learned how to. “
“ Oh. I guess not if he's like that, “ Betty said. “ He'd probably be drowning in filth otherwise. I bet he has a maid service come in to clean the house. “
Robert chuckled, “ Yeah. Probably. He did last thing I knew. “
“ Ah. Hey, is there anything to drink? “ Betty asked. " The medicine makes my throat dry. "
Robert nodded, “ There's a case of diet soda in the fridge. There's some beer, some booze in the freezer and bottled water too. You want me to grab you something? “
“ A soda please, “ Betty said.
“ Don't you want something stronger? “ Robert had a playful edge to it. “ I could always mix you a drink if you want something stronger. There's rum. “
Betty shook her head, “ No. I don't think it'll mix well with my pain medicine. “
“ Oh yeah. I didn't think about that. Soda it is then, “ Robert went back into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and got a can of soda for Betty and a can of beer for himself. He went back to the table but Betty frowned. “ What? “
“ I don't drink that kind of soda, “ Betty said quietly. “ I drink every other kind there is except that stuff. It makes me really sick to my stomach. “
Robert looked at it, “ Oh. Then I guess it's water then. “
Betty thought about it then sighed, “ I guess it'll have to be. “
Robert turned and went back to the fridge, grabbing a water. He went back to the table and handed Betty the bottle. “ Now. Are we set? “
“ I think so, “ Betty opened the water and took a drink. She eyed Robert's beer, wondering just how much of her dream would play out in the night ahead.
“ Good, “ Robert reached for one of the containers. “ Let's eat. “
**
Lotte and Martin were talking amongst themselves, discussing different tactics on how to charm the scout on their end. Branslav looked at his watch as he pushed his food around on his plate, unable to eat anything more. It had been an arduous forty-five minutes since Robert had left with Betty but it had felt twice as long. He had eaten almost everything on the plate but the few bites that were left didn't appeal to him at all.
He was too busy wondering what he would talk to Betty about when he got home. He had to make a good impression on her after abandoning her. He was pretty sure she felt he had after volunteering to look after her then taking off like he had. He also wondered what Robert would say to him once he had got home.
His best friend seemed really angry with his behavior but he couldn't tell him why he had behaved in such a way. Robert had been his closest friend since coming to America and he felt terrible about shutting him out. He didn't know how Robert would react to the truth though. He didn't know how to tell Robert he would get sent back to Slovenia if he didn't get signed to a big name team by the end of the season.
Even worse, he didn't know how he would tell Betty the same. It made him even more desperate to get to know her. He wanted to get to the point where she would fall in love with him and not leave his side no matter what. If that happened, she would go to Slovenia with him or so he hoped.
“ Branslav! “ Lotte snapped.
Branslav shook his head and looked at his stepsister, “ What is it? “
“ I've been calling your name for the last two minutes. What were you thinking about? “ Lotte said.
“ Nothing, “ Branslav sighed. “ Don't worry about it. “
“ He was probably thinking about Melissa, “ Martin said, stressing Betty's pen name sarcastically.
Branslav glared at him but said nothing. He looked at Lotte, “ Are we finished here? “
“ Yes. Yes we are. I will give you a lift back to the arena so you can get your car, “ Lotte said.
“ Can I have my cell phone back now? “ Branslav put his hand out for it.
“ Yes you may, “ Lotte got it out of her purse and handed it to him.
He turned it back on, finding he had three missed calls from Daniel. He slid out of the booth to let Lotte out. He let her get in front of him then followed her outside and started to dial Daniel's number. It rang a couple of times before he picked up, “ Hey big man. I've been trying to get you for at least an hour. “
“ My manager took my phone away, “ Branslav said as he followed Lotte out to her car. He waited as she unlocked the doors before getting in on the passenger side. “ What's up? “
“ I don't know if we can win tomorrow and I'm... “ Daniel's voice trailed off.
“ You're what? “ Branslav asked.
“ I'm scared, “ Daniel whispered. “ Martin said he'd send me home if we don't get a win soon. Man, I can't go home and face my pops if I get cut from the team. You know I turned down a full scholarship to college to play and he's been disappointed in me ever since. “
“ I know how you feel, “ Branslav sighed as Lotte got in on the driver's side. “ Why don't I come over and we can talk about it? “
“ That sounds good. I really need someone to talk to about this. I'm stressing out big time, “ Daniel said. He sounded like he was on the verge of crying. “ I should of listened to my pops man. I should have just went to college. “
“ What we should have done won't save us now. We need to concentrate on is what we're going to do, “ Branslav repeated one of Robert's favorite sayings without thinking about it. It was always part of his pep talks before a must-win game when he had been team captain.
“ How soon can you be here? “ Daniel asked as Lotte started the car and backed out of the parking space.
“ Lotte needs to take me to the arena and I'll come over as soon as I get my car, “ Branslav said. “ I'll get there as soon as I can after that. Perhaps half an hour. “
“ Thanks man, “ Daniel said.
“ I'll see you in a bit, “ Branslav said.
“ Okay. Later, “ Daniel said and hung up.
Branslav snapped his phone closed then noticed Lotte was staring at him. “ What? “
“ Who was that? “ Lotte asked.
“ It was Daniel. He's upset right now and I need to talk to him, “ Branslav said.
Lotte scoffed, “ You need to stop holding his hand. He's twenty-two now. It's not like he's a child anymore. “
“ I know how he feels, “ Branslav pointed out. “ I had someone to help me through. “
“ Yes, “ Lotte said. “ Robert. “
“ Yes, “ Branslav nodded. “ And he helped me so I have to help Daniel. “
“ You don't have to help anyone except for yourself, “ Lotte said. “ You can't let anyone hold you back. Look out for yourself and no one else. “
Branslav looked out the window, “ Whatever. I'll do what I want to do. “
“ While you're at it, I hope you think of a good excuse to tell Tomaz for why you came home a failure. If you come up with something good enough, you might not break his heart, “ Lotte said.
Branslav shut his eyes, “ Just get me to the arena. “
“ That's where I'm going, “ Lotte said. “ I've had enough of you and your foolishness for one night. “
**
Robert looked over at Betty's plate. The Kung Pow looked really good. “ Could I have a taste of that? “
“ Sure. Can I have a taste of yours? “ Betty pointed at his sesame chicken.
“ Yeah, “ Robert said. He reached over as she watched him. He stabbed a bite with his fork and ate it. “ Wow, “ He said.
“ What? “ Betty asked.
“ It tastes pretty good, “ Robert pointed at the container. “ I'm pretty sure they cut out a lot of the spices. It used to be a lot hotter. “
Betty reached over to Robert's plate with her chopsticks and got a bite of the sesame chicken, “ I don't know since it's just like it was last time. “
Robert shrugged as Betty ate the bite, “ Oh well right? “
“ Right, “ Betty said. She put down her chopsticks when she finished with the chicken, “ I'm full. “
“ I'm getting there myself, “ Robert sighed. He was surprised he had eaten so much considering he hadn't felt hungry since seeing Pauline with Richard. He looked towards the living room, “ Now we have to figure out something to watch. “
“ Didn't they give us fortune cookies? “ Betty looked at the bag. She was still nervous over the prospect of watching a movie with Robert.
Robert looked at her, “ I think so. You want to eat those first? “
“ Yeah, “ She nodded.
Robert smiled, “ You want to play that 'In bed' game again? “
Betty blushed, “ We don't have to. “
Robert smirked as he grabbed the bag and got out the cookies. “ I do. Pick one, “ He said as he held them out to Betty.
She looked right then looked left, reaching for the left one. “ This one. “
“ Then I guess I get this one, “ Robert said. “ Ladies first. “
Betty tore the wrapper off her cookie and cracked it open. She pulled the fortune out and looked at it. “ 'You will change someone's future... in bed.' “
Robert quirked his mouth, “ That didn't sound right. “
“ Sometimes they don't, “ Betty blushed and shrugged. “ Read yours. “
Robert tore open his cookie and cracked it in half. He arched an eyebrow, “ There's two. “
“ One time, I got one with four. The machine must have spazzed out. What do they say? “ Betty asked.
Robert looked at the first one, “ 'Love is the only medicine for a broken heart... in bed' again. “
“ What's the second one say? “ Betty leaned closer.
“ 'Love will come from out of nowhere! Look out!' “ Robert said.
“ That's a load of crap, “ Betty said. “ It doesn't say that. It's usually the same one. “
Robert shook his head and held out the paper to her, “ Read it yourself. “
Betty looked at it and frowned, “ Oh. That's weird. “
“ Yeah, “ Robert said. “ It doesn't sound right with 'in bed' tacked on it. It just sounds... off. “
Betty sighed, “ Sometimes the game doesn't work out so well. It's okay. It's just a game. “
Robert looked at the fortunes again. He thought it was weird he had gotten the same one twice. He had joked the first time he had gotten it but getting it again made him feel unsettled. He was trying his best not to get interested with Betty in spite of the pull he felt to go to her.
He had promised himself he'd wait to see how things would play out with Branslav for his sake and his friend's sake. Flirting with Betty was fun but he was scared it was becoming more serious for him than he anticipated. He didn't want to hurt his best friend or break his promise to himself. “ Yeah. It's just a game, “ He sighed.
Betty looked towards the living room, “ How about that movie now? “
“ Sure, “ Robert stood up, “ Let me get your crutches. “
Betty stood up slowly, using the table for support. “ What kind of movies does Branslav like anyway? “
Robert walked over with the crutches, “ He likes all kinds of stuff. We'll just have to see what he has. “
“ Oh, “ Betty said as Robert helped her mount the crutches. She crutched around the table, Robert following close behind her.
“ Take it easy on those steps down, “ Robert said as they neared the living room. There were four steps that led down into it. “ Take your time on them. “
“ Could you get in front in case I pitch forward? “ Betty asked.
“ Sure, “ Robert said. He walked around to her front, trying not to stare at her chest. “ Put the crutches down first then step. “
“ I think I've got that down from earlier, “ Betty nodded and did as she was told. She stepped down carefully then repeated the process until she was at the bottom. She had made it down the back stairs with Robert in front of her when they had left earlier in the evening.
“ Excellent, “ Robert smiled. “ Good going. “
“ Thanks, “ Betty blushed a little. His smile made her insides quiver. He had the sweetest one she had ever seen in her life.
Robert quirked his mouth, " What? Why are you blushing again? "
Betty smiled, " I can't help it. You've got a nice smile. "
Robert couldn't help but grin, " Aw. Thanks. "
" You're welcome, " Betty replied. She looked around the living room, " Now where? "
“ Now to the couch, “ Robert said. He walked with Betty as she crutched over to it, taking her crutches after she sat down. He carried them to the corner of the room then walked over to Branslav's DVD cabinet.
“ So what does he have? “ Betty asked.
Robert looked at the titles of the movies and frowned, “ I have never heard of any of these. Then again, I've been busy playing and raising a child so... “
“ Bring some over, “ Betty didn't like the way his voice trailed off after mentioning Alex. She wanted to distract him by talking about the movies. “ I'll tell you if I've seen them or not. “
Robert grabbed a stack and carried them over to the couch. Betty looked at each of them and picked one, “ This one here is pretty good. “
“ 'Into The Valley Of Fire'? “ Robert looked at it. “ What's it about? “
Betty flipped the box over, “ It's been a while since I saw it last. Let me see. It's about a man that has to save his former lover from a band of cultist that worship a fire god. If the man doesn't rescue the former lover, she will be sacrificed to the fire god. “
“ She's his former lover. Why would he want to go after her? “ Robert asked. " If it were me, I'd let the fire god have Pauline. "
“ See, that's the thing. He's not over her yet. Even though she broke his heart and they broke up, he still has feelings for her. If he hated her, he wouldn't care if she got sacrificed. It's long and complicated but it's interesting. “
“ Really? “ Robert asked.
“ Yeah, “ Betty said.
“ Do you want to see it? “ Robert said.
“ Sure, “ Betty handed him the box. “ It's really is good. “
Robert shrugged, “ What have I got to lose, right? “
“ Just a couple of hours, “ Betty said.
Robert walked over to the DVD player and turned it on. He put the disc in and hit 'play'. “ I'm going to go get my beer. “
“ Bring my water please, “ Betty said.
“ Sure, “ Robert said and walked back to the dining room.
**
“ Man, that's terrible. I never knew, “ Daniel said after Branslav told him why getting into a big league team was so urgent for him.
“ No one does. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone but I couldn't keep it in anymore, “ Branslav said. “ We have to figure out how to get the guys to cooperate or it may not just be us getting cut. “
“ What? “ Daniel furrowed his brow.
“ Martin said it tonight. I don't know if he was trying to scare me or if he was serious. He said if we don't shape up, the whole team is getting cut and he'll start over from scratch, “ Branslav looked at the floor as he talked.
“ He can't do that, can he? “ Daniel was shocked. “ He just can't throw away the whole damn team. “
“ I think he can, “ Branslav said. “ He is the owner. “
“ But disbanding the whole team? That's like shooting yourself in the foot, “ Daniel said. “ He needs to get rid of the slackers and keep us. Won't he renew your contract so you can stay? “
“ No. He won't. He gave me five years to make it out of the prep league and that's it. If I can't get out, he's going to send me home and I'll have to start all over again, “ Branslav said.
“ What if another prep league team signs you? Can you stay that way? “ Daniel asked.
Branslav shook his head, “ The contract states I have to go back to Slovenia and only then can another team solicit me. I don't know how Martin got that approved by the prep league organization but it was. “
“ Shit man. You're fucked, “ Daniel shook his head.
“ Sideways, “ Branslav said.
“ And upside down, “ Daniel added. “ Have you told Robert? “
“ How can I? He's got too much going on already and I don't want to worry him, “ Branslav said. “ I don't want to get him involved in it. “
“ Oh, “ Daniel said. “ I guess you haven't told Betty either then. “
“ I barely know her, “ Branslav said. “ She might think I'm saying that I don't have time for her and she'll give up on me. I'm trying so hard to make it work out but I can't. If it isn't Martin butting in, it's things happening to keep us apart like that practice. I had planned on getting in good with her today by caring for her but that got all messed up. “
“ I thought the two of you would hit it off great. What's going so wrong? “ Daniel looked confused. “ You had a spark when you met. “
“ I know we did but it hasn't been much more than that, “ Branslav sighed. “ Nothing has happened like I had hoped it would. “
“ Maybe you should just go with the flow, “ Daniel offered. " See what happens then go from there. "
“ That could be it, “ Branslav sighed. “ She nothing like other girls I've known so it's hard to know what to expect from her. “
“ It's not good to compare girls to one another, “ Daniel said. “ They are different and they get all pissy when you do it. “
“ What should I do then? “ Branslav asked. “ She's so quiet and isn't into being close. I like to be close to a girl you know? She acts like I'm being too forward. “
“ Why don't you try to be her friend but keep your distance? Get to know each other and find stuff to bond over. Some girls just have to get comfortable before they'll open up, “ Daniel said.
“ Robert said almost the same thing, “ Branslav muttered.
“ Really? That's cool we think a bit alike, “ Daniel said. He noted that Branslav looked like he didn't think it was so great. He sighed, “ I mean it though. You have to get to know the girl so she'll want to know you. “
“ Get to know the girl huh? “ Branslav asked.
“ Yeah, “ Daniel said. “ They like it when you're interested in them for themselves and not just because they got a nice rack or a cute ass. “
“ My other girlfriends aren't that way, “ Branslav said. " They like it when I notice those things. "
“ Those girls are hoochies. There's not much to them anyway, “ Daniel replied.
Branslav felt offended but Daniel did have a point. He realized that the girls he had dated before were a bit vapid but they had served his needs quite well. He sighed, “ I guess so. “
“ Betty seems like a good lady and you need to treat her that way, not like those girls you usually date man. She's a good person and you got to respect that or she's going to bolt on you, “ Daniel sounded firm.
Branslav furrowed his brow, “ Wait. How come you know so much about girls? I thought you lived in the middle of nowhere. “
Daniel laughed, “ I did but there's hoochies in the middle of nowhere too. “
“ Oh, “ Branslav said. “ So I take it you do know what you're talking about. “
“ Yeah I do, “ Daniel looked at the floor. “ I made the mistake of treating a nice girl like a hoochie. Man, I was into this chick and I did everything I could to impress her. She got to like me and I took her to prom. I thought I was going to get some but ended up going home with a black eye and the girl never spoke to me again. I really liked her but I fucked it up big time. “
“ Ouch, “ Branslav said.
“ She was one of those girls that are saving themselves for marriage so I guess she freaked out when I tried to get my groove on. She didn't know what to do so she hit me, “ Daniel sighed. “ Only later did I find out she was a virgin and I felt bad because I thought she was a slut like the other girls I knew. “
Branslav looked at Daniel, “ So she didn't know what to do or how to react to the situation? “
Daniel nodded, “ Yeah. Well, that and she didn't want to do it to begin with. “
“ Oh, “ Branslav said. “ I've never been with a virgin before so I don't know if I'd know how to handle one. “
“ But Betty isn't one, “ Daniel said. “ No virgin could write like she does. It's all too accurate and right on for her to be one. “
“ That's what I thought too, “ Branslav said. He looked at Daniel seriously, “ Don't tell anyone I told you this. “
“ What? “ Daniel looked confused.
“ I listened while the nurse was asking Betty some questions in the hospital and she told the nurse she's a virgin, “ Branslav said.
“ Shit. No way, “ Daniel said.
“ Yes way, “ Branslav said.
“ I don't believe it, “ Daniel said.
“ Well I do, “ Branslav said. “ It would explain why she acts the way she does towards me. “
“ Yeah and maybe she just doesn't like you, “ Daniel replied.
Branslav growled, “ I didn't need to hear that. I shouldn't have told you. “
“ It's just that it's hard to believe, “ Daniel said.
“ Well I believe her, “ Branslav said.
“ Then don't treat her like a whore, “ Daniel said. “ It's that simple. “
“ So how do I get in good with her? “ Branslav asked.
Daniel shrugged, “ I can't think of anything else but what I told you already. “
Branslav nodded, “ I guess I'll try that then. “
Daniel nodded, “ Now. Can we talk about how we're going to win the game tomorrow? “
“ Yeah. We need to, “ Branslav said.