When I Fall

Two.

 It takes almost an hour to get to my house from school if we’re walking. The thing is our town is small and you can get anywhere within 20 minutes as long as you have a car, walking takes much longer since every block is so long.The walk with Hunter to my house was so much fun. We joked around and threw all our books into his backpack so we can give each other piggy back rides. We pushed and shoved each other around like we did when we were in 6th grade on the playground. The walk ended up taking an hour and 15 minutes because we fooled around so much.

While Savannah and Effy are probably my two best friends I still prefer to hang out with Hunter. With the girls we just joke around, shop, sing, and be goofy all day. With Hunter I am totally carefree and we just act like we're 9. He tries to teach me how to play COD and I try and teach him how to do flips on the mats in the gym we have in my basement. I was a competitive cheerleader when I lived in NY---and by competitive I mean as competitive  you can get when you're 5 years old. But hey I did learn some pretty cool tricks. And oh jeez when it’s all four of us together I can't ask for a better time.

When we finally make it to my house its 4 o'clock. We didn't realize this until I opened the door and Hunter and I ran screaming through the foyer, family room, rec room and into the kitchen to see all of Close the Distance in my kitchen.

Hunter was ahead of me, so when he stopped short, I bashed into his back and lost my balance. I grabbing onto his arm to keep myself from falling on the floor. The entire band saw this and started to laugh while I was bending over laughing as Hunter’s face turns bright red trying to hold in his. Kennedy looked at me and gave me a look that said 'If you weren't so entertaining I'd be embarrassed to be related to you'.

I told Kennedy to call me down later and that they should practice for a while without me because as much as I didn't want to do this project it really needs to be done. I grab a bag of baby carrots and some BBQ chips from the pantry and two cans of coke from the fridge and make my way out of the kitchen. We walk back through the foyer and front room to the study/library. I turn to Hunter and say, "Hey grab the poster board and marker basket on the table in the corner. We can work in my room first, then the sunroom in the back because we MUST put a tiny bit of glitter on it." When Hunter quickly turns around and opens his mouth to object I quickly say, "Just to make the planets shinny." When he closed his mouth for a second and opens it again I added, "You know Miss. Kingston grades better if it looks cute." When he realizes I'm right he just shrugs and grabs the stuff.

 "To your room we go." Hunter says rolling his eyes because he knows my room is like me; cute, bubbly, totally girly and kinda a mess. As we get to the main stair case the band is leaving the kitchen and walking down the hallway which leads to the back of the house and the basement door. Kennedy tells them all to meet him down there and tells Josh to go wait in my room as he pulls me aside almost making me drop a can of soda.

"Yo EJ," he starts, "We are going to run through a few songs then Nick is going to start to teach us the song he adjusted. After that we are going to call you down to hear what we have so far and Nick is going to teach you the song first then some of the piano part."

"Okie dokes sounds good." I say and take a step towards the stairs when Kennedy tugs at my arm a little I look up at him quizzically.

He sighs and leans down to whisper in my ear, "Dad was home a half hour before you got home to grab an overnight bag. He said he's going to be spending the night in the office because there’s new evidence in his case.--"

I roll my eyes and cut him off asking, "Why are you telling me this Kenny?"

He sighs again and continues, "He also said that this case is going to court next Thursday and then he has four days off." My heart stopped in shock, like complete mouth open-totally still-not even breathing shock.