Page 22 of Who’s Playing You (In The Nick of Time #1)
SCOTTIE ANDERSON
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Ma’am! You better be dead in a ditch somewhere because I have not heard from you in far too long. You didn’t even answer my last text message.
T his message lit up my screen Monday morning at the literal ass-crack of dawn. The first question I had was why in the world was she texting me this early, and second, why was my phone on?
I peeked at the time, 6:30 a.m. To me, that was still considered the middle of the night. But I was one of those sleepers, once I was up, I was up. Fuck, this sucked.
No ditch. But I was in my bed, dead to the world. Thanks for waking me.
WHY are you texting me this early? How much bail money should I bring?
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Har-har. Very funny. I have a real job now, and it’s Monday morning. I’m getting ready for work. And you never answered my text last week. WHY did you not answer? You always answer.
Oh.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Yeah, “oh”. What gives? What, or should I say WHO, has you distracted?
I’m just trying to figure my life out, I guess.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
And how’s that working out for you?
Some days are better than others. How about you? Got life all figured out?
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Some days I think. Others… I slide back. But on average I’d say the girl math indicates that it’s going pretty well. I’m even going to go visit my brother soon. Shocker, I know.
Oh, wow! That’s great news, Nat. Just remember all the work you’ve done through the years, and all the steps you’ve taken to work on everything.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Yeah yeah, I know. It’s not Nick or Nadine’s fault that they were born and I shouldn’t take it out on them. I’ve learned my lesson.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Actually… things with the three of us have been pretty good the last year or so. Nick actually got drafted this spring. We’re all super proud of him.
That’s great news!
Nat Soulmate Sister:
You have no idea what that means, do you?
Not-a-one.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
I appreciated the enthusiasm though. But basically a professional football team picked him, gave him a big contract, and now he plays professionally. He was actually the first guy to get picked out of his whole draft class.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
It’s a really big deal.
Omg, Nat - that’s amazing!!
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Exactly. The only shitty part is that even though he got picked first, which is amazing, he got picked by the worst team.
Oh…
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Exactly. He and his best friends had all hoped to go play for San Fran, that was like their dream since childhood. So I guess it kind of sucks, although - surprisingly - he hasn’t complained at all. He’s been nothing but ecstatic since. So I guess that’s good.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
But there’s also another positive to his draft pick situation…
Oh?
Nat Soulmate Sister:
New York picked him up, which is pretty close to me here in Philly - an easy drive.
Aren’t there multiple teams in NY? Isn’t there one in Rochester or something?
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Buffalo.
Buffalo?
Nat Soulmate Sister:
There’s a professional team in Buffalo. But yes, there are multiple teams in NY, and he didn’t go to the Mafia. His team is just south of you and mom said that he lives pretty close to you actually.
Are you threatening me with a good time?
Nat Soulmate Sister:
You better believe it!
When?
Nat Soulmate Sister:
I was thinking of making the trek up sometime in September or October, I have to check with Nick and see when he’s got a free weekend so I can drive up.
Just give me a few days' warning, but I’m pretty flexible.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Yay! I’m so excited. It’s like I get an added bonus that you guys are both in the same place. And to clarify, you’re the big prize while he’s the bonus.
Be nice.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
I’m always nice… most days… to some people.
Mm-hmm. You’ve turned a new leaf, remember? I’m sure your brother will be very excited to get to hang with you.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Ehh. I wouldn’t go that far. He still thinks I’m a bitch.
Nat! You’re not a bitch… to me.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Exactly. He might still be scarred from my bitchiness from his childhood. But maybe I just helped to toughen him up. Look at him now, he’s the big cheese in the pros or some shit.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Mom said he bought some huge house from his signing bonus money. I can’t wait to see this place. What the hell does he need a house for?
Jealousy doesn’t look good on anyone, you know.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
He’s 23. He doesn’t need a house. Nor does he need acres and acres. And apparently barns too. What the hell does he need that for? It’s not like he has a girlfriend or a bunch of kids. He doesn’t even have a dog. What does he need all that for?
Sounds like someone is gearing up for a jealous recon mission. You know how those always end up…
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Not well for me…
It’s his life. His choices. If it brings him joy, what does it matter to you?
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Because I’m petty… and jealous? I want a fancy house with a barn. Maybe I want a pony! Scottie, do you think Nick will get me a pony?
Not if you’re a bitch to him.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Touche.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Bitchy, jealous joking aside… I am happy for him. He’s worked really hard to get to where he is. I’m sure he deserves it all. I just don’t understand why he’d move to the sticks - no offense - instead of the city. He’s 23, doesn’t he want to be in NYC where it’s all happening?
I resent that comment! We have an amazing coffee shop here.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Yeah, one. One coffee shop. That closes at 7 p.m.
Hey now! It’s open until 9 on select Fridays and Saturdays in the summer when they do slam-poetry nights.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Ooooo!! Watch out!
Whatever.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
As fun as this has been, I’m glad to find you’re not dead in a ditch, but I gotta boogie to work.
Next time answer my goddamn text messages!
But let’s talk soon and make plans for when I come up.
You know Nick and I can’t spend 48 hours straight together.
I’ll probably end up throttling him, then he won’t be able to play and then there go his pro football dreams. So make plans with me, you’d really be doing the pros and the whole pro football community a favor, not just me.
Anyone ever tell you that you have a weird and deranged sense of humor?
Nat Soulmate Sister:
You told me every day for four years until you decided NOT to follow me and moved to shitty NY.
Hey, hey now. Don’t hate on it!
Nat Soulmate Sister:
I just hate NY because you’re there and not here
Well let me see how this school year goes, maybe I’ll consider relocating after the year is over
Nat Soulmate Sister:
ARE YOU FOR SERIOUS RIGHT NOW??? Don’t even joke with me about that!
Idk… I mean, why not? There are opportunities in Philly and it’s not like I’ve got anything here besides the job and some friends. You’re my person, Nat, and I miss you. It sucks not having your person.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
I fucking hate not having MY person close. It’s sucked for the past however-many-years. I miss you so much. And btw, Earl can go suck a dick.
Thanks for that reminder.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
What? He was a DICK!!! You’re way too good for him and he was a waste of time and space.
No, no, please don’t hold back…
Nat Soulmate Sister:
I can hear your sarcasm.
Oh good.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Whatever, you know I’m right. But now that he’s gone for good, and good riddance to bad rubbish btw, you are 1000000% right that you should move. Come to Philly. We can get a place together! Omg that would be so fun!
We can talk about it. But my contract goes through this school year, they’ll start talking to me in February about a new contract or an extension - or not. So we have well over six months.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
I’ll start sending you Zillow listings.
I said we could talk…
Nat Soulmate Sister:
I’ll look for at least three bedroom, we could use the extra space.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Check your email later.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Gotta go.
Nat Soulmate Sister:
Love you, bye!
Once she started rapid-firing words at me, I knew she was done. There was no point in responding. She was off to her next thing.
Oddly enough though, I felt excited about the idea of being with Nat again. And Philly? Why not? I could do there what I do here. But at least there I wouldn’t be totally alone. I’d have Nat.
I guess I could look at some of the listings I knew she’d send me later. I’m sure she’d flood my inbox, but I loved how excited she was about the idea. And in the meantime I could also search the different colleges and universities in the area, check if there were any job openings.
Maybe this was the next chapter of my life!