Just Passing Through (Part 7)

"So, Sheena...tell me about yourself." Dr. Mason said. She was young, maybe twenty-five or something and attractive but her long black hair reminded me of Dianne Kirk.

I was chewing a stick of gum frantically with my mouth opened, a sure way to aggravate this b***h of a therapist. Rolling my eyes, I looked away from her and out of the window. We were three floors up and I could hardly see anything below the sky from where I sat.

"Sheena...you're going to have to talk if we're going to get anything done...otherwise..." She started to say before I cut her off.

"Dianne...the girl I beat up..." I smiled before I continued. "...she wasn't always such a b***h. Back in elementary school we used to be like this..." I held out my hand and crossed my fingers.

She half-smiled and leaned back into her chair a bit. Then she scribbled on her notepad. "And...what happened...you two are not close anymore?" She asked.

"I was getting to that..." I said before rapidly chewing on my gum for a few seconds.

The doctor squirmed in her chair looking a little impatient.

"One day...we were probably like, eleven. She was asking me about a boy because she thought I liked him, his name was Tom something. Anyway, she thought I liked him or whatever...when I told her I didn't she seemed happy about it. Then...I told her I liked her, and she seemed happy about that too. Then she kissed me." I let my words penetrate the still office. I was looking at the doctor intensely with my head lowered like that kid from fire-starter.

She scribbled on the notepad again but showed no reaction.

"Some kids found out about it and started calling us gay, but I didn't mind it....she did though. She lied and told them I had kissed her and it grossed her out so she didn't wanna be my friend anymore. After that I was weird to everyone." I said.

"And how did this make you feel?" The doctor asked looking as if she was watching the good part of a movie.

I looked out the window..." I don't know...not good I guess."

The doctor wanted to know more about me so I told her things that didn't hurt to say. I told her about track, I told her about my dad and Shawn. She was fascinated that I was a twin and asked me a few odd questions that made me laugh. "So do you two have ESP? Can any of you sense when the other one is in danger?"

"He never leaves me alone long enough..." I said.

She smiled. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all. I liked talking about myself and having someone there to listen. Too bad I couldn't tell her certain things.

"Sheena, do you mind if I ask you about your mother?" She asked.

"I don't wanna talk about her right now..." I said. "Maybe another time?" I offered...I was surprised by my own friendliness.

"Of course Sheena, we don't have to discuss anything you don't want to. Also, I need you to remember...whatever is discussed in this room, I'm bound by law to keep it confidential." She said as she rested her pen down.

That was the fastest I had ever seen an hour go by. Once I left Dr. Mason's office I felt like I had made a new friend. Shawn had no idea where I was, I had ducked him after school and caught the bus up at the clinic. Heading back I took an old dirt road which only took me about a half an hour to reach the residential side of Shallow Acres. Leaving the old dirt trail as it crossed into the main town I could see the small clone houses lined up one after the other. I was glad we stayed across the river behind the broad range of trees that separated us from the traditional confinements of this town. Dad had built the house for mom when he was just nineteen. It was their love story. At least it was romantic in a way to me.

There weren't many people around as usual...the town was very small indeed. A lot of the houses weren't occupied; most had been vacant for years. I walked a block down and took a short cut onto another street. Not many houses on this one...a lot more trees vacated this area as I neared the forest. I thought I heard someone laughed and quickly scanned my surroundings. Didn't really see anyone. There were the Parkers entering the small convenience store just up the road. Mr. and Mrs. Parker were humble people who treated the town kids like their own. Maybe this was because they didn't have any kids...Shawn had told me Mrs. Parker was unable to have kids, she was barren. I always thought God was unfair for that...She would have made a good mother, some of the most awful women popped out six and seven babies easily.

"Sheena you piece of s**t!" Nate Kirk and another boy approached me from behind and pulled my bag from my shoulders.

Nate and his sister Dianne shared a mirror resemblance...they could have very well been twins like me and Shawn but Nate was a year older than his sister Diane.

His dark green eyes were fixated on me with hateful rage. I attempted to reach for my bag but the other boy stood between us and pushed me back. He was far taller than me and Nate and looked kind of dorky because of the hunch in his back.

Nate laughed and his jet black hair made him look even more sinister.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stay away from my sister? You're so disgusting, I swear..." He said as he held my bag behind him.

"I can't wait to graduate and leave this place...I hate everyone here! Especially your idiot of a sister!" I snapped. I clenched my fists still trying to get around the taller boy.

He pushed me back again and this time I returned with a shove of my own. He stumbled backwards and tripped off balance. I took the chance and charged at Nate with my balled fist but he swung the bag at me deterring me from advancing close enough to hit. The tall boy was already back on his feet and gripped both my arms from behind. I struggled to free myself but he was pretty strong because of his height.

"I see your Siamese twin isn't here to protect you huh?" Nate said as he tossed my bag a few feet away from us.

Suddenly, he punched me in the side, knocking all of the air out of my lungs. The taller boy held me up when I nearly fell and I couldn't breathe for a few seconds.

"Gee Nate...wha...at th..the hell? Sh..she's a girl for ch..christ sakes!" The tall boy stuttered before letting me go. I dropped to my knees and clutched my stomach as I heaved for air.

"Yea well...she thinks she's a boy so that doesn't count." Nate said sounding a bit cowardly. He was standing in front of me with his fists still clenched as he tapped his right foot on the ground impatiently.

"Come on, get up you f*g!" He shouted.

I made sure he couldn't see me balling my fist again and did an underhand punch right at his nut-sack. I stood up as he doubled over in agony and got my bag before running toward the convenience store. I stopped abruptly as I reached the door and caught my breath before walking in casually. I knew the store owner Mr. Bradley hated when kids came in there looking as if they were about to start trouble. He eyed me from behind the counter as I entered. His bald plate shined like a clean sheet of metal under the bright lights. Accidently, I bumped into Mrs. Parker and she looked at me with a generous smile.

“Why Sheena how’ve you been? What you doing on this side of town.” She asked as Mr. Parker came up behind her with full paper bags held up to his chest.

“Oh, just passing through…”I said slightly glimpsing back over my shoulder.

“Well good…tell your daddy me and Mr. Parker said hello okay?”

“Okay…” I said pasting on a generic smile.

They went out the exit and I could see Nate and tall boy now coming toward the store.

"Hey..." I said nodding to Mr. Bradley with a smile. He was a burly man and new to the town. The store was owned by his brother Thomas Bradley who was much older and pretty sick now. There was a rumor that Thomas had AIDs and so he barely showed his face in the small town of Shallow Acres.

Mr. Bradley did not return my greeting and looked away irritated. I walked through the farthest isle from the door and waited for Nate and tall boy to reach. It was a while before they finally came in but when they came running in looking as if they had been chased, Mr. Bradley angrily walked from behind his counter and escorted them out.

I smiled to myself but I knew they would still be outside waiting for me. I decided to wait for the next customer so I could leave the same time they did. Nate couldn't harass me with witnesses around I figured.

It was about five minutes before someone walked in. The bell chimed over the door of the entrance as she entered. I froze...it was the blond haired girl from school, Alyssa’s sister. I remained hidden behind the shelves as I walked in the opposite direction so she wouldn't see me. Mr. Bradley peered at me suspiciously and I picked up a magazine and pack of Twinkies. I walked toward the counter as I saw her moving through another isle, after a while I couldn't see her because of the shelves and quickly rested the contents on the counter for Mr. Bradley to ring up.

"Five dollars and forty cents." He said in his southern accent.

He handed me the bag as I dug in my pocket and pulled out three dollars. When I was about to get the rest of the money out of my bag someone tapped me from behind. Slowly, I turned and there she was...face to face...my heart stopped.

"Hi..." She started to say.

I ran before she could finish and Mr. Bradley screamed behind me.

"Damn kid!" He shouted as he stopped at the entrance. He was far too big to try running behind me.

Nate and tall boy had been sitting just outside and got up to chase me but with a failed start...I was already several feet away from them and gaining speed with each second. I ran like a trail of fire was on my a*s. No one could catch me...and no one would.

Reviews

[patricia]

Loved the initial attitude with the therapist in the 2nd paragraph, and the way you show us the body language to express emotions, then introduce a smile to create the bonding stage. I enjoyed this chapter. Will have to backtrack to read up. Thankyou.