Little Miss Babysitter

-- 20 -- (Nate's P.O.V)

"Yo, Nate. The big game's today, right?"

Charlie came out of the shack, a black smudge of grease down the front of his overalls.

"Yeah, man. You comin' to watch?" I slinked over to him, stuffing my hands in my pockets.

Fuck, if we didn't win today, we were toast for the whole season. We needed to win this.

"Nah, man. Got too much work t'day. You know how it is." He cocked his head to the side, his bushy eyebrows falling over his eyes.

I nodded in agreement, conscious of the security camera plastered at the far right corner of the shop, eyeing our every movement. I swear, most times it was just searchin' for some foul play to give the officials an excuse to lock us away.

"I get you. Don't worry. It's just..." I gritted my teeth, bringing a hand through my hair.

"Dude, you don't even want to go in to baseball. Why the fuck do you care so much?" He barked a laugh, leaning over to pick up a wrench. I noticed the unruly bulge of a rectangle pack attached beneath his jeans' shirt, reminding me that you can't even trust your 'buddies' when it comes to this field of work. Better watch what I say.

"It's a nice hobby." I complied with saying, gazing around the small mechanics' joint. "So are a lot of things..."

Charlie snapped up to stare me in the eyes, instantly in the know of what I was implying. He glanced around, nodding his head, before disappearing behind his desk, and retrieving the familiar daily's orange envelope.

"From yesterday's." He mouthed, stuffing the letter in my hand.

My eyebrows furrowed, and I unclasped the metal trinket on the backside of it, allowing me full access to it's contents. Counting the sum, inside inside was a total of $953. A bit short.

I'll just make it up tonight.I thought.

"So, I'm guessing I'll see you again?" He said, code for asking me if I was coming tonight.

"Course." I raised nine fingers, questioning the time at which we were called. It was the same every night. It's not like I picked the time. Personally, I'd do it right after school let out, but with the light still in the sky, I know that the chances of being caught were much greater. It's not like I organized it, or anything.

"Cool. See you, then." He nodded firmly, and ushered me from his shop.

I found myself back in my car, gripping the wheel with such built up anger, that I felt the leather in my palms begin to indent. I released it with a sigh, and buried my face in my hands.

I didn't chose this life style. It's not like I like doing it. It's just a force of habit.

Plus. It's a good way to get out my anger. God knows I've had a lot of that recently.

I fished out my phone from my pocket, noting the time was almost 12 PM. I had to pick up Ela soon.

Her troublesome, devious face flitted across my mind, and I groaned at my own disgust.

I would never involve her with me. Never. She had it hard enough as it is, dealing with me. I know I'm not a walk in the park. Most of the time, when she's over at my house, I've taught myself to fart quietly when I pass her, and she doesn't even notice! It takes the joy out of it!

She will never know what I do at 9 everyday. She's a good girl. Too good. Too good for me, as a matter of fact. I can tell she hardly stands me. Every time she looks at me, she's just reminded that she only has to put up with me for another school year, and then she's out of here.