Chapter 14

At dinner Dad chewed me out about the computer. More or less he said the same thing Mom said.

            After he did that Wade got up and left and then Mom. I dumped the rest of my dinner in the trash and Dad left soon after. Nobody said much.

            Upstairs I tried to fix the figurine. The glue was thick and hard to spread, but it had almost dried by the time I had the second piece on it.

            “Stupid bear.” I whispered under my breath.

            I was careful not to touch the panda too much went I placed it back on the shelf.

            I went outside to look at my bike. The chain needed some fixing and the wheel needed some air, but most importantly I needed to get out.

            I rode the bike feeling as I was gliding. Trees and the rode under me were nothing but a blur.

            My heart beat faster as I sped down the road. It was almost as if I was trying to run away from my problems. The world had slowed down long enough for me to gain my breath.

            I rode my bike in to a nearby neighborhood. This one was smaller and had more land then my neighborhood. The houses were large and cream colored.

            Out on the corner of one of those homes was a skinny girl. She sat on her deck sunbathing. She had on a purple bikini and sunglasses. A small fan beside her was circulating the humid air. I was hoping she would never see me, but it so happened that she looked up the same second I did and we caught each other’s gaze. 

            I wide smile spread across her greasy face. Her smug presence seemed to come across the street and reach me.

            As my luck would go at that point I was looking at her I ran over a speed bump and I was thrown from my bike.

            This girl, Brooke, took her chance. She climbed out of her lawn chair and came to me.

            “Smooth.” She said evilly.  

            “No, I just messed up.” I mumbled while getting up.

            “How you doing Will?” She said putting one hand on her hip.

“Fine.” I said uneasily. I climbed back on my bike awkwardly.

“Aww. Look at your forehead, its bleeding.” She said. “And you was looking so good now that you’re not covered in zits. Was.”

“At least I can do something about my zits, you still have a double chin.”

“How catty Will. Boys don’t like catty girls.” She huffed.

“They don’t like vein girls either.” I said starting off.

“Get out of here!” She screamed.

“I’m going, you idiot.” I called back.

At one time Brooke and I were friends. Then after her boyfriend flirted with me in 6^th grade we’ve been fighting.

I had forgotten that Brooke lived there. When we were little I would stop by her house to play, but after what happened four years ago we’ve been fighting like cats and dogs.

She tries to find ways to be mean and destroy my life. Brooke is an well known person and likes to run her mouth when she knows nothing. She told people I was a dike because I go by Will and I dress in unfeminine clothes. She made sure everyone knew I came from foster care and was an atheist.

I had gotten back at her a few times by telling people that she was pregnant, and the baby’s daddy was her crush. Not only did it succeed in getting her crush to avoid her, but also people started calling her names behind her back.

I feel that its only fair.

When I came home Mom was sitting on the couch with her head in a pillow.

“Hay Mom where are the band-aids?”

She looked up at me with hallow, distant eyes. Looking at her made sorrow swell up into my chest. Her skin looked pale and she looked as if she hadn’t eaten in days. Slowly she pushed up her glasses.

“Sorry Will I was napping.”

“Its okay. Where’s the band-aids?”

She pointed towards the supply closet. “In there.”

After getting the band-aid I went to stand over Mom. She had fallen asleep again, I could tell from her snoring. I felt tired myself, but I wanted to watch over Mom.

I was afraid that she would die in her sleep. Her chest slowly rose and feel, but that wasn’t good enough for me. I put her hands onto her shoulders and shoved her. “C’mon Mom, get up. You told me that we could go out.”

She slowly parted her eyes. Her breathing went back to the way it was before she went to sleep.

“Hun?” She said dreamily.

“You told me you would get me work clothes. I’m going back to work tomorrow.”

“Not now Will.”

“No now. Now, Mom.”

“Go away Will!” She threw a pillow at me. It missed me, but the message was loud and clear.

“Shut up Mom.” I mumbled under my breath while walking away.

Upstairs I pulled out some of the pieces of music Mrs. Davis gave me. One pieces was Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven. Another was Gymnopedies by Erik Satie.

I started out with Moonlight Sonata. I read over the measures and then played them once, twice and an extra time.

The somber tones covered in quietness of the room. The slowness of the music was like an emotional band-aid. I kept messing up, but I was sure Mom was asleep, Dad was at work and Wade was at Mary Jo’s.

The phone ran while I was going over measure 5.

It was Leo. He wanted to know if I would like to come over to his house. Apparently his mom told him he should be kind and nice and invite me over.

I passed on the deal. I told him I was busy, but I just wanted to be alone that day.

The next morning Mom told me that Mrs. Davis asked for me to come over after work.

She wanted to pay me to clean her house for her because she couldn’t due to her recent foot operation.

I could earn another 20 dollars so I told her yes.