Chapter 1 - The Good Life

The story begins...

Chapter 1: The Good Life

A loud thump hit the wooden door. Almost as if something on the other side was trying to break in. Derek jumped and swung around towards the door with a surprised annoyance. “I’m getting dressed!” Derek shouted as he zipped up and buckled his favorite pair of jeans. He looked in the mirror and shook his head at an attempt to style his dirty blonde hair, toying with it until he got the perfect style. Straightening his shirt around his lean chest and turning around for one last look.

 

He’d always thought of himself as a handsome guy but was never really too concerned with his looks. He looked down and frowned. He scanned the room looking for his bottle of Axe, “I know I left it right on my dresser.” he mumbled to himself.

Still trying to remember where he could’ve left it, he slipped on his shoes, grabbed his backpack and inched for the door, patting his pockets and going through his mental morning checklist to make sure he didn’t leave anything he would need for the day. As he opened his door he could see an eerie glow coming from the cracked light pink, floral patterned door right across from him.

He pushed the door open gently. The blinds and curtains were all drawn and the room, usually a bright and nauseating purple, dawned a darker hue. Derek looked toward the only source of light: the television. There he saw his sister sitting right in front of the screen.

“Rose.” He called out.

No answer. She didn’t even bother to acknowledge him.

“Rose! I know you hear me. What’re you doing? You better get ready for school or mom’s gonna freak.” He said with increasing suspicion.

 “Not going to school.” She finally answered. “Hence me still watching tv.” The flashes of color danced on her face as she spoke.

“Hence?” he replied. “Since when did you start using words like hence? And why aren’t you going to school exactly?”

“Uh it’s called a dictionary my child, you should probably try to pick one up every now and then. And to answer your second question; I’m sick.”

“You don’t look sick to me.”

Rose turned away from the screen; her hazel gleamed as whispers of her blonde hair tussled around her face. “Well look who suddenly became a doctor,” she hissed “It doesn’t matter if you don’t think I’m sick because mom does. Now run along or you’ll be late sweetie.” She said smugly.

Derek stared at her for a moment, his hazel eyes gleaming as he wished he had the power to cause spontaneous combustion until he finally exited the room. Trailing down the stairs he could hear the audible mumbles of what was probably the weather man giving his daily unreliable forecast and he wondered if his stupidly faithful father was in front of the screen. He rounded the corner to find his father, wearing a beige dress shirt, khaki colored slacks, and one of his famous hideous day-of-the-week ties, standing in front of the tv sipping what smelled like a hazelnut brewed coffee.

“Good Monday morning Derek!” his dad spewed cheerfully.

“Dad please. Nobody can be this happy on Mondays. Don’t you read any of the Facebook memes? It’s like against the law.”

“Well I don’t know what the hell a meme is but Monday is a great day for me” as he spoke he made his way to the kitchen where he placed his mug in the sink.

“Today I’m getting all new sets of instruments for the patients.”

Derek let out a loud chuckle as he grabbed a granola bar from the pantry.

 “Dad only you get this excited over new ways to torture your patients.” he said.

“Well welcome to the wonderful world of dentistry kid. If I don’t get excited then who will?” He grabbed his coat, patted Derek on the shoulder, and walked to the front door.

“Katie! Katie I gotta go!” he yelled.

“Doing my hair honey! Have a great day love you!” she shouted from upstairs.

He turned toward Derek and gave a head nod “See ya later kiddo”

Derek gave a wave and his dad was out the door. His mom soon followed suit, dashing down the stairs “My hair took forever! I’m gonna be late!” she murmured as she rushed for the kitchen, grabbed a bagel and the cream cheese.

“I need you to get home after school” she said while frantically trying to spread the topping on her bagel

“That means here. Not out somewhere with Adam. Rose is sic "”

“Rose is faking it mom.” Derek said sharply.

“Nevertheless I need you to be here. I already feel bad for leaving her here by herself and I’d feel a lot better knowing someone else will be here. Your dad’s gonna swing by on his lunch and check on her and I’ll be calling constantly.” She said in between chews.

“Ok I think that’s everything I gotta get going so please remember to lock up and I’ll see you guys later for dinner.  How about pizza tonight?”

“Sounds good.”

She walked to the door and blew a kiss before closing it behind her. Finally it was his turn. Derek retrieved my keys from the ring right beside the door.

“Rose I’m gone!” he shouted. Nothing of course.

He closed the door making sure to lock both locks and jiggled the handle before turning away to get in my car. He hit the unlock button on my keychain and pointed it towards the black 2005 Mustang Convertible. As he slipped inside and shoved the key in the ignition, turning it until the car roared to life, Derek noticed a shadow slip pass the corner of his peripheral.

Shrugging it off he put the car in reverse and started backing up when a hard smack hit the passenger side window sending a panicked jolt of tingles through his entire body. He looked over to see his best friend Kat waving back and laughing. Derek unlocked the door and she got in throwing her backpack in the back and putting her seatbelt on.

“That wasn’t funny Kat, you scared the piss outta me.”

“And that’s exactly why it’s f*****g hilarious!” she cackled.

“Yea it would’ve been even funnier if I left your a*s here” he said coldly while backing down the driveway and putting the car in drive.

“Aw poor baby” she cooed. “So you got any plans with Adam later?”

“Nah I gotta be home right after school. Rose is faking sick and my mom wants me home ASAP.”

“Well that sucks balls.” She said leaning her seat back.

“Tell me about it” he shot her a mischievous look and she must’ve picked up on the innuendo because she responded with a look of amused disgust all her own.

“I just feel like Adam and I haven’t spent any…quality time together in forever.”

“Well you can’t really plan that kind of stuff. It’s supposed to be like spur of the moment. Spontaneous sex is the best sex.” She said matter-of-factly.

“And how would you know Kat?” Derek said laughing.

“Hey! I spontaneously let Kyle Lesso feel me up behind the bleachers that one time.”

“Kat that was one time.”

“Yea and it was awesome. More so for him than me but whatever.”

“Well unlike you super s***s Adam and I have some dignity. We don’t just get it on anywhere, anytime. It takes time and preparation.”

“Preparation for what? You guys play Rock, Paper, Scissors to see who’s pitching and who’s catching?”

“God, Kat do you even have a filter?!” Derek said his blushing.

“Look, all I’m saying is it couldn’t hurt to shake it up.”

“And where exactly do you propose we do these activities?” he inquired.

“Anywhere you want! That’s kind of the point. At the park, school, the gym, Hell, on a boat, in the f*****g Batcave on top of the Batmobile for all I care!” she said with a huge grin on her face.

Derek pulled into the parking lot through the back entrance of Phillips High, cut the ignition, and they both hopped out the car. As they walked around the building to the front entrance he couldn’t help thinking about what Kat said. As crude as she is, she was kind of right. Truth is, he’d be lying if he said things didn’t get a little boring at times. But surely there had to be some way to change that.

Author's Note

Enjoy! And feel free to review ^_^

Reviews

[Jonathan Biswell]

Nice i like it so far

[Chris]

Thank you ^_^ chapter 2 coming soon