Playing Patience(25)

“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 asshole 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.