Finishing up for the day, we would be leaving straight from work and heading to Rotorua where the regionals would be held this year and our team have been working hard on their game plan. Adam will be with the team in a van with Noah, Lucas and Sabastian.
While Raniera, Quinn and I were in a different vehicle while the parents that came were also in a van. This was the first year that we made it into regional, the first time the team had a proper coach that was there to teach them properly and it has definitely shown.
The amazing closeness the kids have shown each other have definitely made a difference in the team. Arriving at the restaurant we could hear their happy chatters, their voice all excited while they laugh and share stories.
My brothers and I sat at the end of the table facing all the happy children in front of us. "Mama, you made it?," Adams happy voice bounded towards me "Of course, you didn't think I'd miss your game," I spoke as I captured him in my arms "Thank you for coming mama," my son said as he pecked me on the cheek "You are most welcomed," I said as I hugged him back before letting him go and watch him head back to his team mates as they're desserts were all being placed in front of them.
Lucas and Sebastian were keeping the conversation going with the kids while Noah kept the drinks and food flowing effortlessly as the kids were enjoying everything.
Watching the children interact so positively with each other it was a sight to behold. The girls were all actively voicing their opinions, including Adam who had laughed, teased and chattered throughout the night that just his facials alone show how he lowered his walls just for this team.
How they encourage all the kids that join the team this season that it was to break the previous coaches perception and how they poorly coached the kids that managed to make the team. Noah had joined last year and so did both my baby brothers to assist in the help of their only nephew.
All three men coached with patience, with soft approach and empathy towards the children, that also created the drop offs after training. The kids all learnt the specifics of soccer, the positions that are available and the number of players on the field at a time. The team building that everyone endured these past few weeks have definitely strengthened all the members as they are now feeling positive at the beginning of every game.
To see the joy on all their faces it was so satisfying to watch as my son who usually held back gave his all to his new friends that he made on his own. Talking out strategies, the kids had great ideas, pushing out beyond their years. Having everything be equal from boys to girls, who sub and when. All the girls.could be placed anywhere cause they were able to play any position given and that's why they're able.to be sub off and on.
The boys are fast and share the ball with girls compared to other teams only having the ball given to the one player who can score the most shots. Coming up against our girls is like a battle of wills.
The boys of other teams don't really enjoy playing with girls on the team but take it harder when they lose to a team with girls.
Talking to my brothers as they explained the games and how they would be spread through out the day and each game is is next to each other so that would be easy to navigate.
Noah, Lucas and Sebastian each would take turns per game to each be with them as the other two would be off to ref the other games all taking part. I was staring at the children that I hadn't noticed that Noah had just sat on my right that it took me a second to turn my head on his direction and stared at him "Hi," he spoke as engaged with my two older brothers who were all observing the children in front us "Do they like the room their all staying in ?," Raniera asked as he had booked an one of our holiday homes that accommodate the children very well as both quarters are separated by gender and then the adults also have separate sleeping quarters that wrap around the children's room. "The girls all started screaming," Noah said with a chuckle as he leant towards the platter and began to eat with us as the boys cleared off the rubbish and let them all sit for a while before heading back to hotel before their big day tomorrow. "First game at 7.30am, breakfast at 9am, second game at 10.30am, third game at 11.30am,. fourth game at 12.15pm, Lunch at 1pm, fifth game starts 2.30pm, sixth game 3.15pm and prize giving at 4.30pm - 6.pm then back to the house for a shower before dinner will be served.
That's pretty much the agenda this weekend unless you lose three games in a row you will be eliminated. All the winners today will compete tomorrow with the remaining teams," Noah calmly "And so forth. so whoever wins tomorrow plays in on the last day in front of the remaining teams to be added into the championship for the country." Noah spoke as both my brothers asked about details that stuck out for them while I just sat their staring at the side of Noah's profile while he chatted to my brothers without as much as moving away from me on the chair, he was sitting comfortably within reach while.
I took in his appearance for the first time in nearly ten and half years. He was older, more structured with sharp features, the intensity in his eyes have almost turned into molten lava when he speaks to you in his comfortable, relaxed manner.
I didn't move away, I didn't flinch at his closeness and I remained sitting this close to him as it had been many years. He was the only one outside my family that i don't flinch at when he is amongst us. I returned almost a completely different person except when my family was around I'd feel semi normal and that is progress. He could sit here silently and i could feel myself relax at him being around in general.
Sharing food with him and space has always been a normal thing in my life that even though I do have episodes just not as frequently and never when he is present except my first dinner home with family. That strength I built around me for my sanity and for my peace. I knew I was improving and I congratulate myself and my son by doing something new.
Back at the accommodation, I sat at the back door where we found a great spot with a beautiful view and calm setting. I think back to the days where I went everywhere with my older brothers and their aloof and sexy best friend. I would get dragged along by my brothers so that we would all be in sync and to ensure they always won whatever we participated in.
The four of us were a force to be reckoned with, then I turned sixteen and decided to stop hanging around them at school, as I was my own person now, I had my own separate friends to my brothers, even ate lunch at my own table, I still came to school in the same car though my brothers refused for separate cars so I had no choice.
But once I stepped out I was my own person, I thrived in high school, I was smart, had good grades, I was working and earned my own money, I even paid for my own tuition for college that's why I was allowed to go so far from home.
It has been so many years as I thought back to what made me choose that university,. out of so many others. I researched everything I needed to build my proposal for my parents and brothers to pitch to them.
I had researched my top five schools, the distance, pricing of housing, the commute home, meal plans, employment and just ensuring my safety. I had picked up my courage to speak about it to my brothers when I walked in my house that day and I spotted some girl sitting on my sofa in my house with Noah.
So walking in I slam the door loudly for extra effect as I strolled in and made my way up the stairs to my room, closing my door and locking it, I made my way to my bathroom for a hot shower as I was feeling really annoyed the entire day and now having to walk in has just heightened my annoyance. The water just helped wash the day down the drain, the stress of school, the stress of the end of the year exams, working and not having much time to engage in something different and knowing my brothers have outings with their friends while I was too busy planning my Future school.
Staring a head I admired all the opened space, the fruit trees placed around the property and the expanse of playground also in the centre off the back porch. The weather was nice not too cold and not too hot, the drive was awesome, the scenery was my favourite.
It had been a long time since I've seen the scenery of home and I have been home for nearly a year and it's the first time I've stepped out of the city. My last week before school started my family decided to come here and so both families came on the trip. My parents invited Noah and his parents as well to vacation home and that was the last thing I did with my entire family and now we are here with Adams team. I fought so hard to get out from under my brothers that I started fighting constantly with Noah over everything, whenever he challenged my opinion on something. My stubborn attitude drove me crazy back then, that I had a hard time dealing with my out burst back in my teen days that my parents would leave me to my brothers when I was like that. I fought my anger issues out during boxing training that my parents stuck us all through while growing up. It helped immensely that I did it for fitness and to tone my body. I was a fanatic at everything I tried, I did my best at everything just to make my own name and even acted differently to my family just so that I could try standing out on my own. By the time my brothers graduated and went to their respective colleges I had one more year before I go to the one I had fought for. After they graduated I was making plans to better my future that I had passed my senior year with the highest grades in the entire state for that year. I saved most of my earnings to help purchase all my books, classes and any other supplies I would need for my first year. Once I had graduated high school my family came to this location and it was the last time I would spend with them before I head off for the next four years, little did I know that I would not return for more then ten years.
During my last party with my family the time was surreal and exactly how I would have prefer. Away from our everyday life we did something everyday for that entire summer. My family threw me a great graduation party that my mother took me out to get all dolled up, from my outfit, my hair, my makeup even down to my entrance that she took good care of everything. I had been excited that day, I was an adult, I was about to make my dreams come true and I was ready to shine on my own.
Away at college, I learnt how to keep myself safe while there, I made new friends and I flew through college that I was name Valedictorian of my graduating year. I reinvented myself in College that I was totally different from the girl that arrived in my first year. I lived in the dorms on campus during my college days and participate in all the campus activities that happened every week. By the last party the head house had thrown I met Kane that night through an extended brother within the campus. I had gone home for the summer to expand on our expansion idea that we had decided to do at that time. I had less than three months left when I would return home and join my brothers as planned.
While I was in full detail of what I wanted to incorporate in the entrance and the main seating area as well. I had designed my drafts and each of them held a copy during this meeting today, about how I want it to look overall, when Noah walked in with Quinn who both sat down. I could feel something was off I just didn't know what, "Are you coming home?," I rasp voice asked, I was a little stunned that I stared back at the grey orbs staring at me, "I wanted to try the market there and see if it would benefit but I also wasn't to sure about the exact market place so my research isn't finished but I am positive I can finish it from home with the vast amount here.," I answered his eyes seemed to softened as I laid out my physical form of what It should look like, what each of us incorporated into it shows just by staring at what each wall in our restaurant should look like, how many VIP ROOM to hire and what function rooms are available as well during opening hours.
send bubby and I love pleaseBoth my brothers stared intently at the draft in front of them and made changes here and there, when i felt a pair of eyes staring at me silently so I turned and locked eyes with him, as I stared openly at him, I had always had him there shooting down all my ideas or challenging most of my suggestions but once I chose to go out of state for school he had gone silent towards me, he's barely around whenever we are discussing that latest location to open, so today is good to see he turned up and had something to say, so I just raised an eyebrow while scanning him with my eyes, it has been three years since I last saw him and the it was the same banter back and forth like typical teen stuff but today it felt different, I wanted to tease him but I also didn't dare, I was moving forward away from home and I had Kane back home.
As I assessed Noah's face, I slowly refocused back on my brother, who hadn't even broke his stride about our conversation and once everything was concluded we had retired to our rooms. I went in search of the back door swing and the darkness that surrounded the property, when another person sat beside me, I had been thinking a lot about my future, how different I wanted to be, how singled out I felt was necessary and how closed offish I became when I started dating Kane. I was beyond happy when I came home that I was glowing, but now that my home life kicked back in I sat there reflecting on whether I was coming back. By then I had started dating Kane and everything was new, I was miles away from him and I didn't know how to bring him up, "Dating yet?," I remembered Noah asking at the time his eyes never left my person, I just stared at him and wondered then thought why not "Yes," I said in a rush, not looking at at him,"Sleeping with him?," he asked again as he fully turned to face me, "Not yet," I said as I slowly looked back at him, and saw him taking me in like a hungry wolf, I remember staring at him and thinking that he was an ahole and he was Satan spawn, my dislike of him back then was strong I just couldn't understand why. "Okay, so are you really coming back?," he asked as I locked eyes with him "I don't know, I'm in a relationship right now and it's new and exciting it's just a big decision to make, but also my family don't know about him just yet as it's only been a few months, I'm not just going to go flying in blind, so yes I'm gonna tell my mother in the morning," I said cause I needed her advice. Noah listened to my opinion, even challenged it a lot but always heard me out, yet this time he was silent and look liked he had something to say. "Say it," I said as I turned to face him " it feels as if your not gonna come back," he voice sounded strained "Like this will be the last time Ile see you or something and its scaring the shit out of me," his eyes took me in as I stared at him silently "I don't know about that, my father will murder him first," I said softly as we just stared at each other, "It's new okay, I need advice and shit from my mom because I'm winging it so far ," I said as he just shook his head at me, "Ile help you as much as I can but I make no promises on snitching as soon as you leave," he spoke seriously I just didn't take it too heart. "Please always be safe, Akarana," he spoke as he twirl my hair around his fingers, he was always so clingy until he turned fourteen and he just stopped. He would always sit there and twirl my hair like it was the most fascinating thing in the world to him." I will always remain as safe as possible," I answered him as I let him close the distance between us and hold me in his arms. It was always like this between us, he would constantly have me within reach even if I was stuffed between my brothers, he would always be able to reach a lock of my hair.
Today was a bad day for me as i encountered a girl in my year who had been trying to sleep with my brothers and spread rumours about my sexuality, targeting as i am surrounded by only males which would be understandable to be a dike cause no man would want me as there partner and that followed me everywhere today. By lunch time i was so upset that by the time i walked in to class one of the girls spoke loudly and ask if i was into girls? While continuing her explanation of her tirade i felt something snap and i just stood from chair, closed the distance and punched her straight in the mouth as hard as i could and as many times as i could, until she stop talking all together. I was so angry that it took four male students to pull me off her and send me to the principals office where i rang my mom to come and pick me up. Within ten minutes my mother had arrived at school and had a brief conversation with the principal as they spoke of my punishment and we left as my mother had to go meet a new chef and judge their menu so thats where we went.
During our first course in walked Raniera and Noah who sat on the other side of the table, i was having a bad day due to my encounter at school before we came here and had rendered me silent through the car ride here and i was barely holding myself in check, when i stood up abruptly, mumbled toilet and left the table. Once inside the stall, the tears rolled down my face as i rehashed today events at school, i'm usually not emotional but today it really stung my pride and now me lashing out just made it worst that i couldn't even hold in my sobs and just cried my eyes out until i had no more to shed. Stepping out of the stall and staring at my reflection I looked a mess and my eyes were puffy, my cheeks were red and flushed. I look terrible and my hands were stinging from the cuts as i looked down it was the first time i noticed my hands were raw, red and painful but i couldnt feel anything unless i placed them under the water and then it soothed them even though it stung.
The door opened and i hadnt notice that someone had entered as i was still soothing my knuckles from the onslaught of cuts that seemed to litter my hands, tears slipped down my face as i was focused on what happened today, that i hadnt noticed that i had someone at my back when to arms encircled me and wash my hands gently as they patted my hands dry before applying an ointment that i had just noticed was in the hands that had encircled me when my eyes looked up and found grey eyes staring at me.
He applied the ointment softly and without hurting me, then he wrapped my hands so that i could still move them but at the same time to keep the area clean and dry. I closed my eyes and took steadying breath to calm my nerves as it was the first time in a few years I seen him and im crying my eyes out while injured,
"what happened, Akarana," Noah's soft voice asked as he wiped my face with a wet paper towel, " I hurt Lacey Reynolds today because she spread a rumour that i'm gay and she embarrassed me in front of the entire student body that i just lost it and snapped hitting her over and over until i was pulled off ," i spoke as my voice cracked as more tears slid down my face
"My friends believed it, the boys in my classes were catcalling me all semester and today she just hit the mark and all my stress just came out at her. I'm not even gay but due to this i will most likely wear it until i graduate," i spoke as stared back at Noah who was smirking despite himself "If you are going to laugh i wouldn't do it now," i warned him as I was staring at him, "Your too hot to be gay so she is just jealous, you allow my touch on your person so you definitely ain't gay as well as your room is full of eminem and he's shirtless,' he smirked as a smiled at that, my idol Eminem and I adore everything about him.
"Deep breaths and lets finish off the night and see how the new chefs menu is," he smirked as he gave me a few more minutes before dragging us out and back in the room where my family were.
My brother was the first too take in my flushed face "Who did it?," Quin asked "Rumours have been spread about me and my sexuality. My entire year believe it then Lacey Reynolds was the one to think she would add more insult s and told me to admit it, in front of the entire school. I attacked her and beat her to a pulp, I'm not sure she was even conscious when I was pulled off," I turned to my brother and mother
Both had gone red in the face "Contact her father and demand an apology or we won't be paying nothing for her medical bills," my mother spat as she was furious and trying not lash out at the table.
My brother was the same he was fuming and his hands were clenching into fist. "I've got three months left before school finishes and I can handle myself as well till then," I stated as my brothers furious gaze softened as he looked at me "If they make you cry again you hit them all and Ile remove our funding from the school until it registers," he stated, I nodded and continue with the taste testing.
The rest of the testing we managed to finish, score and rate which one made the specials board and what made the menu. Noah sat there silently staring daggers onto the side of my head but everytime I stared at him he would shift his gaze as if he wasn't. Absent minded I started applying more ointment to my hands as everyone else was engrossed in conversation when my hands started to burn, so I added as much as I could to soothe the pain.
I felt a little better after melt down and crying helped relieve the pressure. Standing up for myself, felt really good. I constantly fight with all four of my brothers one way or another and today it just felt different and it is going to be interesting day tomorrow.
I smiled as I stared around the table with my older brother Quinn, my mother and Noah unexpectedly. Swirling the drink in my hand I tasted the first class that burnt my tongue a bit and was too tangy, before quickly drinking my glass of water before trying the other two glasses.
When I felt a hand remove the first glass I winced at and aw it being emptied and notice Noah place it back down. I screwed my face up at him, trying the next one that was a fruity hit and a bit of zing a few seconds later.
I took another bigger sip from it and really liked the flavouring of that before I finally placed it back in front of me, just as before a hand reached across and took a sip from my glass that my eyes narrowed as I saw that drink also get emptied that I was glaring openly at him "That was mine," I said as he licked his lips before turning to look at me ,"You have to share it," his smooth voice drifted around me that I just frowned at him and held the last one closely as I inspected the contents as the aroma from this glass was mouthwatering that I took a cautious sip.
The flavoring was amazing, floral, hint of fruit, salt around the ring and hint of mint and lime. This drink was made for me, it was yum, I kept sipping and sipping on it that I came across a sweeter flavour of candy floss.
I sipped the entire glass almost as if I didn't breathe. That was definitely my favourite of the new choices to be added.
My brother was just staring at me while shaking his head as I snatched his glass and sipped it slowly when I saw Noah frown before leaning over to take it, "No, this is too yum," I said as I shifted out of reach while I savoured the beautiful taste of infusion that was in this glass, my mother was to busy enjoying her meal, as she allows my opinion also. "Akarana you have to share it so we all get a chance," he says as I just frown at him "Fine," I say passing it over to him and then reaching for my mother's glass, and sipped that while staring at Noah with a smirk. "I see why you like this," he teases as he stares back at me, I shrug not caring in the least, as I pick something of his plate and pop it in my mouth, when I see him smirk "By all means help yourself," he says as he moves the plate between the two of us "As if that would stop me," I laughed as I continued sipping on the glass while eating the food that was between the two of us.
"Are you feeling better?," Noah spoke as I thought about it for a second "Yes, I am. I feel different but still the same," I spoke as I demolished the entire plate before finishing the last of my glass. "That's good better then feeling bad about someone else's opinion," he stated as I nodded and leaned back in my chair. "Are you busy after this?," I turned to ask my brother Quinn as he turned to look at me "No, why ?," he enquired "Maybe we can swing passed the school go pick up the boys?," I asked as I stared straight at me "Sure, well let's go then," he said as he rose from his chair "Shotgun," I said as I stood straight up, kissing my mother as I strolled passed her "Behave Raana," she spoke as I nodded making my way to the door. "Yes of course, I got the scary brother with me," I pointed at Quinn who just glared at me, while kissing our mother goodbye.
By the time we reached the school I was too buzz to do anything let alone taking my seat belt off and hoping out of the car. When both boys came up to the car they started hollaring at me about my antics today that I was a hero. Quinn had gotten a play by play of such events that happened today. The build up of story and how this came to head. I was practically floating listening to them, "So what happened with mum?," Lucas asked as he slid to stare at me "Nothing, mum wants her to apologize and isn't paying her medical bills," I shrugged as I turned to him and smiled "We try the new special board and menu addition today," I said as I slurrred a little before focusing back on him "Wow she didn't get mad you attack lacey like Mike Tyson?," he queried as I a gasped feigning hurt feelings "What she did was a hate crime ," I stated as faced the front. "She deserved it," Sebastian piped up with a smirk on her face "Raana really rearranged her face all right," he spoke as he cracked up laughing. We drove around for a bit before we headed home.
Washing up for bed I felt much better. My mood increased as I made my way to bed. It wasn't a great day but it ended pretty okay. Tomorrow will bring something different.