SWNOVELS The Red Zone: Chapter 2
A CLOUD of annoyance consumed my thoughts as I stalked across the street to Scarlett and Abel’s place. The march over helped to blow off some of the steam I’d accumulated during my conversation with Mae. But the subtle reminder that I’d made no progress on my housing dilemma only brought it back up again.
Technically, Mae and Scarlett weren’t blood related sisters, but as I saw it, they were as good of siblings as any. If it wasn’t clear, Scar was undoubtedly my favorite.
She and I had stayed in contact over the years, texting and Videotiming when we had free time, but it was only once I got traded to the Matrix last season that our friendship really rekindled. We’d met up a few times for dinner over the past few months, usually whenever some old friends of ours from school were in town. Lately, she’d been inviting me around more often, though, no doubt hoping for Abel and I to form some sort of fraternal bond.
While I applauded her effort, that friendship wasn’t going to happen.
Sure, Abel and I worked together about as well as a Quarterback and Tight End could during practices and games. Our League Bowl rings were proof of that. However, off the field, our personalities were completely incompatible. Hence why Scarlett’s attempt at forcing our friendship wasn’t going to work out the way she envisioned.
It wasn’t that I didn’t like the guy. He seemed like a fine enough dude. Had there not been a fundamental disconnect between our temperaments, we might’ve gotten along. But despite Scar’s effort, some things simply couldn’t be cured overnight.
My thighs burned as I trudged up the porch steps and twisted the knob before darting through the front door without warning. “Scarlett!” I bellowed, ignoring Abel, who was lounging on the couch with a remote in hand.
“What the fuck are you doing in my house?”
“It’s not just your house anymore, dude. Pretty sure her name is on the deed, isn’t it?”
“Touché.” He nodded in acceptance, drawing his attention back to the television screen.
See? What’d I tell you about that fundamental disconnect?
“Scarlett!” I called out again, darting my eyes around the disarranged kitchen which was sprawled with vegetable covered pans and marinated chicken skewers ready for the grill.
“In here.” Her muffled voice sounded from the small pantry off the left of the cabinetry.
Winding my way past the large marble island, I paused in the doorway of the tiny room as the five-foot-four, pastel green sundress wearing brunette I was looking for came into view. All it took was one look at my clenched jaw and flared nostrils before her beaming grin was replaced with drawn together brows. “Rough day?”
“Don’t get me started.” My shoulders slumped, and I pushed out a breath before wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her in for a quick, welcoming hug.
“Hands off my girl.” Abel’s voice rumbled from the living room. I peered over my shoulder, only to see that he hadn’t taken his eyes off the baseball game on the television screen. How was that possible?
Scarlett rolled her eyes and poked her head out of the pantry to shout back to him, “Abel, come on! It’s a platonic side hug, and you know that.”
“Yeah, it’s platonic,” I echoed her statement like a small child.
“Like I give a fuck. Hands off, and they stay off. Got it?”
I knew he was protective of her, understandably so, but Scarlett had been like a sibling to me since before my actual sister, Hallie, was born. I loved Scar, but even as kids, there’d never been a time where I’d looked at her as anything other than family.
Sure, there was the time where I’d asked her on a date as a ploy to get her and Abel back together. But I thought we’d all moved past that by now. I mean, he was the one who asked me to do it, and he got his girl back, didn’t he?
“You got it, man.” I complied with Abel’s demand for my own sake. The last thing I needed in life was a Page Six headline about me getting pummeled by a teammate. Especially since my contract was up in the air. “How did he notice that? He couldn’t even see us,” I whispered low enough that only Scarlett could understand.
“Maybe he’s omniscient or something?”
“I heard that,” Abel piped in from the living room.
Scarlett and I exchanged a knowing look while trying to will down the howls of laughter threatening to spill past our lips. Man, why was everything ten times funnier when you weren’t supposed to be laughing?
A beat passed as I calmed myself before biting out the one sentence I so vehemently despised saying aloud, “I need your help.” My throat burned with each syllable and my jaw clenched tightly.
“With what?”
“Mae.”
I wasn’t certain whether the smug smile plastered on her face was supportive or concerning. However, upon observing her tickled expression, I had a feeling she’d been waiting for me to say that since the dawn of time.
“Operation Red to the Red has begun,” she mumbled to herself.
“What does that mean?”
“Don’t worry. You’ll find out soon enough.”