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Instead, I clenched and unclenched my other fist and sucked in a deep breath, holding it for a moment.
Another hundred dollars. He said it so casually, like it was a drop in the bucket for me. That would mean bringing on more contracts and somehow fitting them into the time I didn’t have. I couldn’t ask Dad for the money. Scratch that—Iwouldn’task Dad for the money. Not even on loan.
How was I supposed to come up with another hundred in a week? Especially without a car to do half the business I needed to do?
I racked my brain, thinking of ways to get out of this mess. In the end, I came up with nothing. I would have to sleep on it, maybe bring in the big guns and go to Malia for extra support in finishing a few deals. She always jumped at the chance, but I absolutely hated asking her. Or Ali. They were my dead-end choices. I hated my business carrying over to my friendships.
Flow and Jett usually got the jobs done well enough that I didn’t need to bring in anyone else. But I had yet to be put in a position like this, where I needed more money fast.
Fuming, I made my way to the front of the bleachers to wait for Dad.
Except, when I got there, the field was empty.
And only one person sat in the bleachers—Charlie.
That boy was everywhere I didn’t want him to be lately. Mainly, all up in my business.
I had never spoken a word to him before, but ever since he found out who my dad was, he inserted himself into my life without being asked.
Rude.
He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped together, sitting in silence. There was no one else around anywhere. He sat as still as a statue, as if content with the silence. It was unnerving and odd.
The sound of my foot on the stair alerted him to my presence. He turned his head and smiled, a dimple popping up on his cheek. It looked like he had already showered and changed, his hair still damp, slightly hanging down in his face.
“Need a ride?” he asked.
The mere mention of my car brought back all the rage inside of me. Without answering him, I spun around and headed down the sidewalk toward the street.
“Wait, where are you going? Your dad left. Everyone left.” The sounds of a shuffle and pounding of feet on the metal bleachers echoed from behind me.
I paused. Even Dad left? Without me?
“I have two working legs,” I retorted, hiding the bit of hurt inside from being left behind.
Charlie caught up to me, which was a feat considering the amount of baggage he had with him. His school bag was slung over both shoulders, resting on his back, while his massive soccer bag sat on his shoulder, slipping every few seconds due to the weight.
“I saw your dad looking for you when practice ended. He waited a few minutes, but I guess he thought you weren’t around.”
“But you’re still here?” I questioned, looking over my shoulder at Charlie.
He nodded. “Flow told me you settle a lot of your, um, contracts under the bleachers. I thought maybe you were under there still. If you were, I didn’t want you to be without a ride. Thought you’d come out, eventually.”
“And if I hadn’t been there?” What a stupid idea, waiting for someone they didn’t even know was there or not. He could have been sitting there for hours.
And the comment about talking to Flow didn’t sit well with me either. Why was he asking my minions about me? I had to figure out his motive. Maybe when I had more brain cells to be able to deal with it. Right now, he wasn’t a threat.
Just a nuisance.
Charlie shrugged casually. “Then I would have gotten some extra rest after practice.”
He said it as if it were no big deal. But he waited. Dad didn’t even bother to wait. Charlie sat there, lingering around on a mere assumption.
I stopped walking when I hit the sidewalk. Charlie had followed me all the way to the road, the opposite side of where his car most likely was.
“What do you want?” I asked, folding my arms over my chest, and giving him my best stare down.
His eyes flew open wide, shocked at my question. “N-nothing? I mean, I just wanted to offer a ride since your car is still in the shop.”
