CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
ALEX DAVALO
Don’t just be a coward!
Sandro had returned late that night. The moment he stepped into the room, I knew something was off. He reeked of alcohol, and his usually sharp eyes were glazed over like he wasn’t fully there. His movements were sluggish, almost like he was moving through water, and it was clear to me that he was in no state to talk. That frustrated me more than I could express. I had been waiting all evening to talk to him about Nadia and the bills she needed help with for the next session, but now, seeing the state he was in, I knew I had no choice but to wait until he was back to his senses…
And that usually took an age when he was either high on drugs or alcohol!
I watched him stumble around the room, dropping his jacket carelessly on the floor and nearly tripping over it as he made his way to his bed. He didn’t even bother taking off his shoes. He just collapsed onto the mattress, face down, and within minutes, I could hear his heavy breathing as he fell into a deep sleep. I let out a frustrated sigh and rubbed my temples, trying to keep the irritation at bay. This was important to me, and it pissed me off that I had to wait, but what choice did I have? He’d be useless to me in this state.
Hours passed, and I tried to sleep, but my mind kept drifting back to Nadia. Her face kept flashing before my eyes-those big, sad eyes that seemed to carry the weight of the world. I tried to shake it off, but the image of her struggling alone gnawed at me. I hated it. I hated that she had that effect on me, that she was in my head even when I didn’t want her to be…
I hated her even more for doing that to me!
When I finally drifted off, it was only to wake up in the middle of the night. I was disoriented at first, unsure of what had woken me. Then I heard the faint clicking of keys. I glanced over at Sandro’s bed and saw that it was empty. A soft light was coming from the corner of the room where his desk was. He was awake, his laptop open in front of him, typing away furiously.
Perfect!
I swung my legs over the side of the bed and walked over to him, not bothering to be quiet. He didn’t notice me until I was right behind him. When he did, he paused, his fingers hovering over the keyboard as he turned to look at me. His eyes were clear now, focused, but there was a slight frown on his face as if he was still piecing together how he ended up here.
“Sandro,” I said, keeping my voice low but firm, “we need to talk.”
He blinked at me, his frown deepening. “What is it, Alex?” His voice was rough, still thick with the remnants of sleep and alcohol.
I didn’t waste any time. “It’s about Nadia.”
The moment I said her name, something in his expression changed. His frown disappeared, replaced by a look of surprise. He stared at me for a moment, as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard, and then, slowly, he closed his laptop. He turned in his chair to face me fully, his eyes narrowing slightly.
“What about her?” he asked, his voice steady now, but there was an edge to it like he was preparing himself for something he wouldn’t like.
I could feel the tension in the air, thick and heavy, but I pushed through it. “I think we should help her pay her bills for the next session.”
Sandro stared at me, stunned. For a moment, it was like he didn’t even hear me like the words hadn’t registered. But then, slowly, his eyes widened, and he shook his head as if trying to clear it. “What did you just say?”
I held up a hand, cutting him off before he could go any further. “Look, I know what you’re about to ask. And no, it’s not what you think. I’m not growing a soft spot for her, and I never will.” The words felt bitter in my mouth, but I forced them out, hoping they would shut down whatever thoughts were running through his mind.
But Sandro wasn’t convinced. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest, and gave me a long, hard look. “You’re becoming weak, Alex,” he said finally, his voice cold and distant. “Weak because of that girl from the slums. Are you serious? You want to spend your money on someone we enjoy bullying?”
I flinched at his words, but I tried not to show it. Instead, I shrugged, playing it off as no big deal. “It’s not about that,” I said, though I could hear the defensiveness in my tone. “It’s about the basketball team which we both belong to. We need her focused, not worrying about money.”
Sandro’s eyes narrowed even more, his gaze piercing. “You’re full of shit, Alex,” he said bluntly. “We have never given a fuck about her, and now you’re telling me you want to help her? Don’t insult my intelligence.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but he wasn’t done. He stood up abruptly, knocking his chair back in the process, and glared down at me. “I hate her, Alex. I hate everything about her. There’s no way I’m giving her a single penny of my money. She doesn’t deserve it. And if you think I’m going to change my mind because of some stupid excuse you came up with, you’re wrong. I won’t fall for this crap”
He didn’t give me a chance to respond. Without another word, he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. The sound echoed through the empty hallways, leaving me standing there, frustrated and torn. Part of me wanted to go after him, to keep pushing until he agreed, but another part of me knew it would be useless. Sandro was stubborn, and once he made up his mind, there was no changing it…
Even though I sometimes managed to make him listen to me…
I sighed heavily, running a hand through my hair. What was I supposed to do now? I didn’t need Sandro’s approval, but without his help, it would be difficult to get the money together. And despite what I had said, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t just about the team. There was something more, something I wasn’t ready to admit to myself just yet.
I paced around the room for a while, trying to figure out my next move, but eventually, exhaustion caught up with me. I collapsed onto my bed, my mind still racing, and before I knew it, I had fallen into a restless sleep.
The next day, I woke up with a plan. It wasn’t a great plan, but it was better than nothing. I wasn’t exactly known for my altruism, but this was different. This was about the team, about winning, and maybe, just maybe, about seeing what being happy meant to Nadia…
Just for one day…and the bullying would continue…
I went through the motions of my morning routine, but my mind was already on the conversation I was going to have later. I wasn’t sure how I was going to pull it off, but I was determined to try. When I finally got to practice, my heart wasn’t in it, and it showed. I messed up a few times, which only frustrated me more, but I kept pushing through. I couldn’t afford to be distracted now.
When practice was finally over, I caught up with Phil as he was leaving the gym. He looked tired, his hair damp with sweat, but he stopped when he saw me coming. “Hey, Alex,” he said, wiping his face with a towel. “What’s up?”
I didn’t waste any time. “Phil, I need you to do something for me,” I said, pulling out an envelope from my pocket. I handed it to him, and he took it, frowning as he looked down at it.
“What’s this?” he asked, his voice cautious.
“It’s money,” I said simply. “I want you to give it to Nadia.”
Phil’s eyes widened, and he looked up at me, his expression that of surprise and confusion. “What? Why?”
“Don’t ask questions,” I said, my tone firm. “Just give it to her. But don’t tell her it came from me. I don’t want her to know.”
Phil hesitated, clearly unsure of what to make of this. “Alex, this doesn’t make any sense. Why are you doing this? You’re always the one giving her the hardest time. You bully her all the time, and now, you’re helping her. Why?.”
I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my frustration in check. “It doesn’t matter why. Just do it, okay? And if she insists on knowing where the money came from, just don’t be a coward. Just say it’s from someone who wants to help.”
Phil still looked skeptical, but he nodded slowly, tucking the envelope into his pocket. “Okay, I’ll do it. But I still don’t get why you’re doing this.”
I didn’t answer him. I just turned and walked away, my mind already on what I was going to do next. The truth was, I didn’t understand it either. But something inside me wouldn’t let me ignore it, wouldn’t let me just walk away from Nadia’s situation. And that scared me more than I wanted to admit.