The smell of bacon wafted up the stairs, and right on cue, my stomach growled. Squinting an eye open, I glanced at the clock on the wall and saw that it was just past eight. Jake was never up this early on a Saturday morning. He didn't usually surface from his pit until late afternoon, but I wasn’t about to question him or complain, and apparently neither was my stomach. When it growled again, I reached for a pair of tracksuit bottoms and quickly shoved my legs into them. I swung open the bedroom door and jogged down the stairs, the sweet smell growing that much closer. As I rounded the banister and made my way down the hall, I halted.

It wasn’t Jake. It was my uncle.

It wasn’t normal to have Colin home on a weekday, let alone the weekend. In fact, he was hardly ever home at all these days. So when I rounded the corner to see him sitting at the kitchen island drinking coffee, I couldn’t help but frown and wonder if I’d missed something.

“Bacon and sausages are under the heater and there’s fresh coffee in the pot,” he said, not tearing his eyes away from the newspaper in front of him.

I frowned. “Umm…”

Uncle Colin turned slightly on his stool, eyeing me over the coffee cup pressed against his lips. “Late night was it?” he asked, raising both of his dark, bushy brows.

“You could say that,” I answered warily as I began to plate up some food. I wasn’t about to question why he had cooked for us, even though I couldn’t remember a time when he ever had before. I was just thankful that we didn’t have to eat out again. That shit was getting tedious, and as for our health? Well, let’s just say that Coach Thorn had grilled us a few times on the importance of a healthy, balanced diet, and we were yet to listen.

“Well, once you’ve finished your food, you can go and wake that son of mine up. I want you both to clean this place and have it looking normal by the time I leave this afternoon.”

“You’re leaving already?” I said, rolling my eyes. I shouldn’t have been surprised really. He and Aunt Helen only ever made fleeting visits nowadays, and I was sure they only came back to check we hadn’t burnt the house down or killed the fish. Still, I’d have been lying if I’d said I didn’t find it strange that they hadn’t come back for the game yesterday. They knew how important it was, and they had always been firm supporters and believed in Jake’s abilities. But my dad going to prison hadn’t just messed my family up; it had messed Jake’s up, too. I fucking hated my dad for what he had put us all through, and I hated him even more for making Jake suffer for something that had nothing to do with him. Unlike me, he was a good kid and he didn’t deserve to be treated like he didn’t even exist. I knew Dad’s arrest had had a huge impact on all of us, not to mention the business Uncle Colin had worked so damn hard to build. I wasn’t naïve enough not to notice the permanent creases that had marred his forehead ever since this whole thing had gone down. I also knew that there had been more to Dad’s arrest than anyone would let on.

“I’ve got a meeting in the city tomorrow so I’ve made reservations at the hotel for this evening. You know what trains are like on a weekend. Never can be too sure,” he said, cutting through my thoughts.

I took the coffee pot from the hot plate and poured myself a large mug, not bothering to add any milk. “I was half expecting you to be back yesterday. You know we won, right?” I said, taking a swig and regretting it immediately as the thick liquid scolded my tongue. I flicked it back and forth and ran my teeth across it angrily until it eased.

“Hmm… Mmm…”

I pushed the plate of food away from me, suddenly losing my appetite. “That’s it? That’s all you have to say?”

Colin sighed and rubbed his temple. He looked tired. “I’m sorry, son. I’ve had a lot going on at the office lately. I would’ve been there if I could. You know that, right?”

“No, no, I don’t think you would have, actually,” I replied honestly. “I don’t know what’s going on with you and Aunt Helen, but taking it out on Jake isn’t right. He looked for you yesterday,” I said, remembering the way Jake had glanced up into the stands with that same hopeful look he had at every game.

I’d felt the exact same way as him, only I’d had plenty of time to get used to the fact that my mum and dad wouldn’t be there to support me, to cheer me on when I made that shot. Jake didn’t have that. He was confused and disappointed. Although he would never admit it, I knew. I could tell by the way his shoulders slumped when he finally looked away after realising they weren't going to be there. I noticed the way his eyes shifted to where they usually sat once the game had ended, and the way he hurried to the car park after each match, expecting them to be there.

I worked my jaw and turned to face Colin. “See, my dad—there’s a reason why he couldn’t be there. But you? For you, there’s no excuse.”

“Taylor, your father wasn’t as perfect as he made out. There is stuff you—”

“What stuff?” I snapped, cutting him off. “I keep hearing this same shit over and over again, yet not one of you has fucking balls big enough to tell me.” I scrubbed my face with both hands as I fought to calm my breathing.

“Taylor,” he said in warning, but I shook my head.

“I have a right to know.”

“It’s nothing that concerns you. Just ignore me,” he eventually said, his voice calmer, more compassionate this time. Dropping a hand to my shoulder, he gave it a light squeeze. “I didn’t mean anything by it. And for the record, I wanted to be there, but I’ve been so busy with—”

“Work. I know,” I said for him as I continued to keep my head in my hands.

I wanted to believe him. The apology was written all over his face, but none of it made sense. It was as if the unspoken words in his eyes were written in a different language—one that wasn’t meant to be translated. “Whatever you say, Uncle.”

“I do say. Now, go and wake the boy up. I meant what I said, Taylor. I want this house spotless before I leave. Oh, and this came for you,” he said, handing me a white envelope. “We have a mailbox, you know. Wouldn’t hurt you boys to empty it once in a while.”

Colin smirked, trying to lighten the mood.

“Yeah, yeah.” I glanced at the envelope that was addressed to me before shoving it in my trouser pocket. “I went to see Mum the other day. She’s a mess. But then you would know that if you’d bothered to check on her.”

“You went to see her? When?” He frowned.

“The other day.” I shrugged. “Don’t worry. I had free periods so I used Jake’s car to go see her. I wish I hadn’t bothered.”

“Why? What did she say to you?”

“Nothing much. Just that I was a piece of shit and she never wanted to see me again.” I shrugged again.

“I wouldn’t listen to a word she says, son. You said it yourself—she’s a mess.”

“Yeah, but whose fault is that? Maybe if I hadn’t left—”

“You can’t blame yourself, Taylor. You didn’t force her to drink. She made that decision all by herself. Look, if it’ll make you feel better, I’ll have another word with Simon. See if he can convince her to get some help.”

“You think it’ll work?”

“We can try.”

I nodded. “Thanks.”

I’d learned not to build my hopes up when it came to Mum. We had tried before with no luck. No matter how much I tried to deny it, though, I always held out hope that she’d wise up one day and get the help she needed.

Not for my sake. For her own.

“Does it bother you… your folks always being away?” I asked Jake as we sat at the train station a few hours later.

After I’d woken Jake up, he came down the stairs and immediately began to clean the house. I tried to help as much as I could, but it wasn’t really my thing. My bedroom was a different story. I’d always kept it tidy, but then again, I never really made a mess. Once the house was clean and resembling some form of normalcy again, Colin asked Jake to drop him off at the station and had me tag along. I didn’t mind so much. It was rare that Jake and I got to spend more than five minutes together without the rest of the team. I liked to check up on him now and then, especially because his parents weren’t around to do it. And they didn’t seem to give a shit.

“You’re kidding, right?” Jake scoffed, seeming unaffected by my question. “Do you know any other kid my age who gets to run his own life?” I tried to open my mouth but Jake quickly cut in. “Except for you, of course,” he added with a smirk. “We live in this big fuck off house with no surrounding neighbours. We throw all the parties we want without the parents crashing them, not to mention the money and cars. Does it bother me?” He frowned and shook his head. “Fuck no.”

“You sound like a spoiled little bitch.” I laughed, but I knew there were lies hidden behind his words. He wasn’t happy. He couldn’t be.

“Thanks. Anyway, don’t judge. You were me once.”

I frowned and shook my head. “Not the same.” I glanced out of the passenger side window.

“Shit, sorry, Tay. I didn’t mean that. You know what I meant. It’s just, well, once upon a time you were in my position and I don’t remember you ever being unhappy until… Shit. Change the subject before I say something else completely out of order.”

He wasn’t wrong. That was me once upon a time. I’d had it all—big house, two swimming pools and a Jacuzzi, not to mention the pool house and the cinema room. None of that had mattered to me even back then, though. All I’d cared about was football and my dad being around to watch me play. Without that, I had nothing. Then he went to prison and I focused on my football dreams without him. Whenever I thought of football, I imagined my dad sitting in the stands cheering me on.

“So, what’s the deal with that chick?” Jake said. I slowly eyed him side on. “You know the chick. Big tits, nice legs, the hermit.”

“She has a name, dickface,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Ooh, touchy. What’s the deal?”

“Nothing,” I replied, shrugging as if it really wasn’t a big deal. “We talked, she left. No biggie.”

That was a lie. The very thought of Lola had my heart doing some fucked up back flip. I hated that feeling.

“No big deal,” Jake muttered, echoing what I’d already told him. “Well, according to Mel it was a big deal. I swear, that girl is gonna castrate you the next time she sees you.”

I laughed his words off, but I knew he was right. If there was one thing Melanie hated more than Lola, it was rejection, and after she was finished with me she would get to Lola, and I hated not knowing if I would be around when it happened. I wouldn’t always be there to protect her like last night, and a girl like Lola needed protecting. Sure, she gave as good as she got. If I hadn’t stepped in last night and forced her out of the situation, she might've had Melanie pinned to the floor wishing she’d never been born. But something told me that Lola was more vulnerable than she let on, preferring to show her feisty side. I wasn’t sure which version of her I preferred. The sassy, kick arse Lola who gave me an instant hard-on, or the frightened side of her that made me want to pull her away from any harm and protect her from the world.