Playing Patience

Seven

Zeke



Spending my afternoons hanging out with a bunch of badass brats didn’t sound very appealing, but once the judge threw down his gravel there wasn’t shit I could say. It was better than thirty days in jail. So after zoning out in class all day Tuesday, I hopped in my car and headed for the Boy’s Club to clock in.

I was assaulted by the smell of old gym shoes as soon as I walked into the gym full of young boys. Every noise in the room echoed and made my headache ten times worse. I was approached by a young woman with bouncy black hair and she smiled up at me innocently.

“Are you Zeke?” she asked with a smile.

“That’s me,” I said with less exuberance.

“Great! You’re early.” She beamed. “My name’s Lindy! Let’s get you in a Big Brother shirt and I’ll show you to your group.”

The idea of changing my clothes sucked, but again, judge’s orders are judge’s orders.

I followed her through the gym to a little office tucked into the corner. I told her my size, then sat as she went to the back to find a shirt for me. I peeked out of the little window into the gym and watched as the kids played without a care. It was actually kind of nice to have a place for troubled kids to go. I wish I’d had a place like that when I was growing up. Maybe I could’ve been saved. Maybe I wouldn’t be so f*cked up.

The sun peeked into the gym as the front door opened and a girl surrounded by a sunny halo entered. Once the door closed, the bright light surrounding her disappeared and I could see it was none other than Patience, my little icy bad luck charm. I sighed out loud.

Why couldn’t I get away from this girl? She was everywhere I was and it seemed like every time I saw her, something bad happened to me. I was starting to think she was a gift from the devil himself. She was a pretty box of temptation wrapped in a force field of police officers waiting to arrest me, or a box of sweets with a big-ass invisible mousetrap sitting on the cover.

I watched as she walked into the gym and stood there staring around like she was lost. She had on gym shorts and a tank top with her hair piled on top of her head in a messy ponytail. A pair of knee-high black socks fit against her well-shaped calves. She’d definitely just finished practicing some sport. Soccer, maybe? I’d never found sporty girls attractive, but something about the way she blew a wayward piece of hair from her face and flexed her firm arms at her sides was kind of hot. It made me wonder if she was athletic in bed. I bet she was.

“Here you go.” Lindy came around the corner with a bright-blue shirt in her arms.

I felt like telling her blue wasn’t my color, but whatever got me out of this shit as soon as possible.

She pointed across the gym to some kids standing right next to Patience.

“That group of boys over there is your group. Since today’s your first day, just spend the hour getting to know them and we’ll work on activities tomorrow.”

I nodded my understanding, then got up and walked out. I watched Patience as I walked up behind her. She was beginning to fidget again and it struck me how cute she was. I heard the boys from my group laughing and joking, and then I watched as the bravest of the group walked up to her and started to flirt. I didn’t hear her response, but suddenly she turned and ran right into me.

She smelled like freshly cut grass and female. It was a weird combination since the feminine smell usually wasn’t associated with anything outdoorsy, but I liked it. It belonged to her and somehow, even though she was delicate looking and entirely too sweet, it fit her. She looked up at me and suddenly I felt sick to my stomach. A faint black bruise worked its way up her cheek and under her eye. I knew my bruises and this was definitely a backhand to the face. It was at least three days old, which let me know it happened once she left the police station.

The urge to reach up and run my finger softly across her bruise was strong. I’d never wanted to soothe something so bad in my life. I didn’t like feeling that way. As a matter of fact, I f*cking hated it. I wanted to lash out at her, but more than anything, I wanted to beat the shit out of her dad for laying a hand on such a defenseless person. Then again, I should kick my own ass since I was positive me being a smartass contributed to the problem.

It must have been obvious that I was staring down at her bruise because she swiped at it anxiously with her hand and turned her head away a bit. She told me with her eyes what I already knew. That bruise was my fault.

“You again,” I said as I bit down on my lip ring. “Guess that means I’m going to jail today.”

She looked as if she was physically shaking and I wondered for a moment if she was afraid of me. “Why would you go to jail?” she asked. She reached up and grabbed at the ends of her ponytail.

Every time I saw her, she got prettier and prettier and after our last run-in at the jail with her a*shole of a dad, I looked at her differently. Before, I thought her life was perfect, but after seeing her f*cked-up relationship with her dad, I knew not everything was as it seemed.

“Every time I see you I end up behind bars. What happened to your face?” I blurted out.

I shouldn’t give a shit what happened to her face, but I did.

She shrugged and attempted to laugh it off. “It was a stupid soccer ball to the face yesterday at practice.”

She was lying, but I didn’t push it. I knew what it was like to make up excuses for a busted lip or a black eye.

Quickly, I changed the subject.

“Why are you here? I mean, other than to flirt with underage boys.” I smirked down at her.

She was so much shorter than me. I liked that. It made me feel powerful somehow… manly.

“I wasn’t flirting with underage boys, and I’m here to volunteer. It’s only fair since we were both arrested.” She shrugged.

I guess being the governor’s daughter had its perks, like being able to find out personal information on people’s community service, but then again, why would her dad tell her how to find me when he so obviously didn’t want us to be around each other? Not that I could blame him after my smartass attitude toward him the last time we were together.

“How did you know I was here?” I asked. I didn’t want the kids behind her to hear us so I moved in closer. “Does your daddy know you’re stalking me, snowflake?”

Her eyes filled with panic and it pissed me off that she was afraid of him. Then she stepped back so quickly she almost tripped over her sneakers. She glared up at me with a pinched mouth. She was pissed off about something.

“My. Name. Is. Patience!” she yelled at me.

I had to admit, I liked it when she yelled at me. Mostly because it let me know she wasn’t as weak and defenseless as she looked, but also because I’m a f*cked-up individual and occasionally I get off on being jerked around.

Her voice reached every wall of the gym and everyone turned to look at us. I watched as a pretty red blush crept up her neck and filled her cheeks. Her eyes started to water and become bloodshot and she looked like she was about to blow up from embarrassment. The poor thing, she looked like she was about to pass out, but it was funny to see her so pissed off and embarrassed. I kind of enjoyed ruffling her feathers.

I laughed softly to myself, earning another evil glower and I couldn’t help but poke the bear one more time.

“Careful, snowflake, if your face gets too hot, you might melt.”

She pressed at my chest with tiny palms and actually growled at me as she pushed me out of her way. I f*cking loved it. I turned in just enough time to see her fly into the girl’s bathroom.

The group of boys started to laugh. I turned and glared down at them. They all stopped laughing and looked around like they weren’t being a bunch of nosey asses.

“So, I guess I’m lucky enough to get stuck with you guys,” I said as I walked over to the group.

There were three of them and none of them looked old enough to be in any kind of trouble. They couldn’t have been much older than thirteen, but then again, when I was thirteen I was smoking weed and getting hand jobs from fifteen-year-old girls behind my trailer.

“Sweet! What’s your name?” one of the boys asked.

He was the smallest and still his clothes looked too small. The kid had on two different socks and a torn-up shirt, but he had the biggest, happiest smile on his face and it made you forget about the fact that he was probably miserable at home.

I grabbed one of the little plastic school chairs, turned it around, and straddled it with my arms resting on the back.

“The name’s Zeke. What’s yours?”

The smallest one bounced the basketball between his legs and switched his feet around like he was a basketball star. “My name’s Keaton. The tall boy there is Riley and the quiet kid over here is Alex.”

My attention went to the quiet kid in the corner named Alex. He looked pissed off and as unhappy about being there as I was.

After introductions, I told the boys to go play some ball and hang out, and then I sat in my chair and watched from afar as I played on my phone. After a few minutes, I felt someone come up behind me. The smell of fresh grass filled my nose.

“I see you decided to come back out to play,” I said without looking up from my phone.

“I wouldn’t think of this as playing. This is just as much punishment for me as it is for you,” she said as she sat in the chair next to me.

I wanted to tell her she’d been punished enough by her dad. I could tell that by her face, but even with my blunt nature I couldn’t bring myself to say it.

“Then why do it?” I asked.

“Because it’s what’s right.” She looked at me like I was dumb.

“Do you always do what’s right?”

“I try to, but sometimes people like you make it hard.” She shot me with a sexy glare that I’m sure she thought looked mean.

“Oh, come on. You know you like it when I tease you.” I grinned.

“You call this teasing? Isn’t teasing supposed to be fun? Nothing that comes out of your mouth is fun. You’re an a*shole every time I talk to you.” She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.

She wanted teasing? Then teasing was what she was going to get.

“Nothing that comes out of my mouth is fun? I resent those words. My tongue comes out of my mouth and I’ve been told multiple times that it’s fun.”

Her eyes got large and she started to blush again. Damn, I liked making her blush.

“I should probably go talk to the director and find out what they need me to do. It was nice talking to you again, but we should definitely stay away from each other, I think.” She stood and her chair screeched across the gym floor.

“Definitely.” I jokingly agreed.

I watched her ass in her tiny gym shorts as she walked away. To be so petite, she had the most beautiful thighs and calves and I was starting to wonder what it would feel like with them wrapped around me. As much as I tried to fight it, she was starting to grow on me, which meant staying away from her was my best bet. A girl from her side of town had no business messing with a guy like me. On the off chance she decided she wanted to take a ride on the Zeke Express, I needed to make it clear she wasn’t welcomed around me. I knew myself and if she ever offered, I would jump all over that.

Of course, that plan was shot to hell when she finished talking to the director of the Boy’s Club.

“Looks like I’m stuck with you,” she said as she plopped into the seat beside me.

She blew at the piece of hair that kept escaping her ponytail and rolled her eyes.

“Well, I was here first. Plus, I have to be here, while you’re only here so you can flirt with young boys.” I didn’t look up from my phone.

“I’m not here to… You know what? I’m not even responding to that. It’s too late. I said I would volunteer for a month, so I will, but once the month’s up I’m out of here.” She blew at the piece of hair again and my fingers itched to push it behind her ear.

Then she got up and walked over to the young boys and started talking with them.

“You guys like playing basketball?” she asked as she tried to dribble a ball. It bounced away from her and the smallest boy chased it down.

“Yeah, basketball’s our favorite sport. What’s your favorite sport?” the one named Riley asked.

“I play soccer. You guys know anything about soccer?”

I watched from afar as she very patiently kicked the ball around with the boys. She was teaching them how to softly kick the ball with the inside of their foot. She would clap and get excited when they did well and pat them on the back and tell them to keep trying when they didn’t. It was kind of amazing to watch. She was so caring, sweet, and patient with the boys. Again, I was struck with how perfect her name was for her.

“Are you the goalie?” the smallest boy asked as he wiped at his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand.

“No, I’m the girl who kicks the goals. I’m the striker.” She smiled proudly.

I bet she looked so hot all sweaty in those little, gym shorts. I shook my head, trying to shake out the image of Patience pulling off that tank top and having a sexy little sports bra underneath.

When our hour was up, I pushed up from my chair and stretched. Sitting for almost an hour in that tiny chair had my ass numb and my legs stiff.

“Okay, boys, I guess I’ll see y’all tomorrow.” I yawned.

“Yeah, he doesn’t want to miss the chance for a nice hour-long nap,” Patience joked with the boys.

They all laughed. She looked over at me and the smile on her face was so bright and happy that I caught myself smiling back at her. As soon as I realized it, I turned and walked away. I didn’t even tell her good-bye. I stopped by the bathroom to take a piss before I left and then I pushed on the heavy blue doors of the gymnasium and walked into a shadowed evening. It was close to dark and parents who’d just got off from work were showing up to collect their kids. I threw on my black hoodie and started toward my car.

My door creaked as I opened it and jumped inside. I cranked up my loud engine and turned on my headlights. They shined directly on Patience who was sitting on the curb out front. I sat a minute and debated leaving her there, but the thought of her being stuck in the dark alone bothered me. I pulled up next to her and she looked up and rolled her eyes.

“Don’t you have car, rich girl?”

I knew it was an a*shole thing to say, but I said it anyway.

“Yes, I have a car.” She looked back down at her phone and dismissed me.

“Then why are you sitting out here instead of driving it home?”

I knew I should just pull off and be done with it, but this wasn’t the greatest place for a pretty girl like Patience to be sitting in the dark alone.

“I don’t drive. I’m waiting for my friend Megan to pick me up. She’s supposed to be here. I’m sure she’s on the way.” She bit the inside of her mouth.

“But you haven’t heard from her and she isn’t here?” I sighed and flexed my hand around my steering wheel.

“She’ll be here. I’ll be fine.”

I pushed my head back into the headrest in aggravation and sighed. “Just let me drive you home. Text your friend and tell her you have a ride.”

“Thanks, but I’d rather just wait.”

I looked down at her and rolled my eyes.

“Are you scared I’ll take advantage of you once you’re in my car? Because if that’s the case, trust me when I say you have nothing to worry about.”

And she didn’t. Not because I didn’t think she was attractive, because I did. I wanted to peel off every piece of clothing she wore, except those hot knee-high soccer socks, and have my way with her. The reason she had nothing to worry about was because I knew better than to jump the rich man’s fence. Plus, she was probably a virgin and virgins tend to be clingy and annoying afterward.

“While it’s nice to know you think I’m a dog, I’d still rather just wait for Megan. Thanks anyway.” She gave me a quick, sarcastic smile.

At that exact moment, her phone dinged. She looked down and sighed. Then she shook her head and looked back up at me.

“Offer still stands,” I said as I let off the brake and inched up like I was about to ride off without her.

“Fine.” She stood and swiped at the dirt on the back of her shorts.

She walked around the front of my car and my headlights illuminated her thick thighs as she cut a path in front of me. I reached over and unlocked the passenger-side door and pushed it open. She slipped in next to me, shut the door, and then reached over for the seatbelt that no longer existed.

“No seatbelt, but if you’re worried you’ll fly out of the car, you can slide over and I’ll hold you in.” I grinned over at her as we drove off.

She fiddled with her hands in her lap as I pulled out of the parking lot. All that did was draw my attention to her legs. I followed her thighs down to her knees and back up. I wanted to reach over, slide my hand over her thigh, and rest my fingers in the warmth between her legs. I looked up and saw her watching me as I stared at her legs. She looked away quickly like she didn’t catch me checking her out, and I chuckled softly to myself.

“So, what’s the deal with you? Do you, like, kick puppies during your free time and stuff?” she asked as she worked the lever ‘round and ‘round to roll the window down.

I was shocked that she even knew how to use it, since I’m sure every car she’d ever been in had automatic windows and air-conditioning.

“I don’t kick puppies, just people.” I looked over and watched as the headlights from oncoming cars dashed across her face. The light reflected in her eyes when she looked over at me.

“Something pretty bad must’ve happened to you when you were younger to make you so angry,” she said casually.

“Why do you say that?” I couldn’t help but ask.

She was silent for a few seconds before she finally responded.

“I know broken people when I see them.” She looked away and focused on the passing trees.

I assumed this was the part where she was going to try to psychoanalyze and then fix me. A lot of women had tried, but none ever succeeded. Some of those women were hardcore and understood what it was to have nothing and live a shitty life. The princess in the passenger seat knew nothing of those things.

“Pfft. You know nothing about being broken,” I snapped.

“Yeah, I guess not.” She looked down and shook her head.

Suddenly, the memory of the way her dad treated her and the fact that she had an old, healing bruise across her cheek popped into my head. I felt like shit the minute I thought about it. Who’s to say this girl didn’t get her ass kicked once a week like me?

I knew right away when we made it to her side of town. The trees, broken-down buildings, and trailers were replaced with medium-sized brick houses and then massive houses surrounded by iron fences and perfectly manicured lawns.

She directed me where to go and I turned left or right when she told me to. That was the extent of the conversation for the rest of the ride. When I pulled up to her house, I was taken aback by how huge it was. Why did these people need such big-ass houses? It was a huge, white, two-story house with big columns and about twenty-five windows just on the front. There was a Jaguar parked in the driveway and a plush, green lawn. The sprinklers popped up and water began to squirt all over.

My car looked like a heap of trash sitting in the front of her house and part of me wanted to ram my big rust bucket into that expensive-ass Jag.

She turned toward me and the side of her mouth tilted into a tiny half smile.

“Thanks for the ride. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Maybe.” I didn’t smile back.

She continued to sit there like she was waiting for something.

“Are you waiting for a goodnight kiss, snowflake? Because you’re not going to get one.” I leaned over her and popped open the door.

Her scent invaded my senses and I felt her warm breath against the side of my face as I leaned across her. For a brief moment, I contemplated a tiny kiss. Mostly because I hadn’t kissed a girl since I was fourteen—kissing was too personal—but also because her lips looked so sweet and juicy that they made me wonder what it would feel like to kiss her.

She cut her eyes at me and sighed and then she jumped out of my car like it was on fire while she muttered something that sounded like “a*shole.” I laughed as she slammed my door and turned toward her house. I waited for a few seconds and then sped off. The quicker I got back to my stomping grounds, the better.