I glanced on the table again focusing on the stripped balls. Nothing else on the table looked remotely possible.
“Here, let me help,” Brad offered.
He moved over to the table, directly across from me, ignoring his sister’s cry of ‘no fair’ to point out how to aim at the cue ball to make it veer in different directions. I paid close attention to his instruction.
He moved back from the table as I prepared to shoot. Previously, the ball I’d hit barely moved. So this time, I put some extra force behind it.
The cue ball flew but didn’t go in the direction I wanted.
“Please Bea,” Brad coaxed his sister, “just let me help her for a few minutes so it’s fairer.”
“You make me sound like a shark,” she complained with a fake pout. “Fine. Help her.” She sat down next to Tommy, sipped her soda and watched.
Brad walked up to me turning me slightly away from the table and then stood right behind me. From there he showed me how to hold the cue, make the bridge, line up the cue stick with the cue ball and use a smooth stroke to better control the outcome. It amazed me when I pocketed a ball with his help.
Behind us, Jay let out a yelp. “Dammit! That hit my knuckle!” I turned in time to see him rub his hand for a moment before he grabbed the mallet again.
I looked over at Morik, who eyed Brad... the same Brad, who stood inches from me, having just assisted me with my last shot. Morik’s eyes swirled with color, but no one seemed to notice over Jay’s loud complaints.
Okay. No more help from Brad. “I think I got it now, Brad. Thanks for the help.”
He winked at me, assured me it wasn’t a problem and turned to sit back down.
Jay cried out again. “I think I’m bleeding! Man, you hit hard.”
Tommy started laughing. “How many times do we need to tell you to keep your fingers out of the way? You want Brad to show you how to hold the mallet?”
Jay told Tommy to piss off, which earned him a dark look from Brad, and then gripped the mallet again.
This time, I watched Morik’s play instead of Beatriz. When he bent aggressively over the table, I got a little worried for Jay. When I noticed the red glint in his eyes, I knew I needed to do something to prevent Jay from losing a finger.
“Is anyone else hungry?” I asked, overly loud.
Jay straightened, willing to take a break. Tommy perked up and nodded. Brad looked at Beatriz. “What do you think pipsqueak? Delivery or create our own master piece?”
“Delivery,” she said emphatically and then squealed, “Chinese!” She laughed when the other three groaned. “Fine. Pizza. What do you guys like on your pizza?” she asked looking at me then Morik.
I hoped she wouldn’t notice his eyes since she was standing further away. I had no idea how Jay hadn’t noticed. Maybe he’d been too busy watching the puck.
I answered for us both. “Anything is fine. We’re not picky.”
Everyone moved to go upstairs. Beatriz led the charge to make sure they ordered what she wanted as well. Tommy gave Jay a hard time about his injured fingers. I stayed behind with Morik, who still gripped the mallet.
Once everyone was upstairs, I set my cue on the pool table and went over to him. Sliding down his glasses, I saw the same swirling red with a vivid orange center.
“I think I know what red and orange mean,” I said softly to him feeling the weight of his angry gaze. His closed his eyes and breathed deeply for a moment. I laid my hand over his, taking the mallet out from underneath it. Fine fractures lined the high top of the mallet. “Do you want to go home?” He shook his head. “Brad won’t help me anymore,” I promised him quietly, hearing feet on the stairs.
Patting his hand and pushing his glasses back into place, I stepped back before Beatriz rounded the corner.
“Three extra larges on the way,” Beatriz announced holding a bag of cheese coated chips. “This will have to hold you over for now.”
We stayed through the rest of the games, where Morik eventually powned Brad. After seeing Brad leave me alone for the rest of the evening, Morik made an effort to be nice to Brad. Brad laughed and called Morik “yoda” before asking if he’d come back Friday night for his next party. Morik studied Brad for a heartbeat and must have sensed his sincerity because he said he’d let him know.
Beatriz tried talking me into staying for a movie. I knew she wanted an opportunity to get closer to Morik, but a movie would put me past nine when I promised to be home. Reluctantly, she let me change back into my layered outfit. We were delayed leaving, however, when I couldn’t find my gloves. Everyone helped me look, but I noticed that Morik didn’t seem very motivated.
After a few minutes, Beatriz gave up looking. “Do you want to borrow a pair of mine? I’ll keep looking for yours and bring them to school when I find them.”
Morik answered before I could. “I have something she can use on the bike. We’ll be fine.”