Love and War

Chapter Seventeen: Collywobbles

Tuesday June 8th 2010

Ryan Gabriel Tramblay

       Mrs. Hale droned on and on about the English exam which she assured us would be easy if we remembered how to write an essay and reviewed all of the short stories that we had studied this year.

      The Gang was quiet without their leader. When Hunter and I walked into class they didn’t even so much as blink in our direction. I would have thought that they were completely changed people if I didn’t see how shamelessly they flirted with girls.

      I was afraid to think that everything was finally over. Every time I allowed myself that thought, Brett struck back with brutal force. Now though I was sure that things between Brett and I were done. I think we had finally resolved things.

***

Wednesday June 9th 2010

Holiday Joss Boulstridge

       “I don’t understand why we have to go suit shopping right now,” I said to Apollo. I was sitting in his car and we were driving as fast as we could to the Square One shopping mall.  There was a Harry Rosen store there with the most sophisticated and classy suits, or at least that’s what Apollo said.

      “Do you not care about prom or not?” Apollo asked me. He was driving this time, so all I had to do was lean the passenger’s side seat as far back as possible and relax.

      “I don’t know if I want to care or not. I mean it’s not a big deal,” I said. I batted the stuffed soccer ball that Apollo had hung from his rear-view mirror. “All I’m gonna do is stand around in an uncomfortable suit and watch someone else dance with Piper.”

      “You broke up with Piper?” Apollo asked.

      “Cripes. Where have you been for the last four months? I broke up with her all the way in February and now I have a new boyfriend,” I said glaring at my brother.

      “Oooh, so you’re craving the boyfriend flavour now? What’ll it be in a couple months?” I didn’t like the way Apollo said that. He talked as if I was fickle and just switched my affections from one person to the other depending on my mood.

      “So, tell me about him,” Apollo said nudging me.

      “He’s blonde and has blue-ish green-ish eyes. He’s shorter than me and-“ I was hesitant with mentioning his age and grade. I had been a brother to Apollo for so long and I knew that he wouldn’t approve of my dating a fourteen year old.

      “Name?”

      “Ryan Tramblay.”

      “Age?”

      “Fourteen.”

      Apollo’s green eyes went wide as soon as I said that word. Apollo was two years older than me and was presently nineteen. He was turning twenty in the fall and I was turning eighteen in the winter. “Don’t you think that’s a little young? I mean he’s just started high school and you’re graduating.”

      “It’s a three year difference, who cares? And Ryan’s great.”

      “If Ryan’s so great why are you griping about having to watch Piper dance with some other guy?”  Apollo said. I was so used to talking to someone and having them completely disregard my words, but here was Apollo noting everything I said right down to the last detail.