Life is Funny Like That

Twuntee-ate. Toby (arc)

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The leather jacket group all leaned up against a wall, smoke rising from their smoldering cigarettes. 

Kimmy passed them, boredom weighing heavy on her posture. The pizza in her backpack seemed to pull on her shoulders as she could practically smell the potent drug-like effects it held over all teens across America.

Pushing the dumpster to the wall, she picked up a lidded metal trashcan and placed it on top. Climbing up on the wobbly contraption, the brick edges dug into her hands as she pulled herself the rest of the way up.

Good, it was empty.

A quiet and empty peace filled the space, covering the puddly roof of the grocery store as steam rose out of the sporadically placed pipes.

Kimmy crossed the dark roof in a few strides. Throwing her legs over the side of the building, she pulled her coveted pizza out and took a slow and delicate bite.

The silence was interrupted by a popping metal noise.

Kimmy looked over her shoulder, finding the youngest looking member of the pompadour group, in all of his leather jacket and shiny black hair walking over to her, his hands stuffed into his pockets.

"Cute set-up," he commented, his voice sounding younger than she expected.

Her eyes were settled on him as she continued to eat her last slice of heaven. He sat down beside her, his hands propping him up. 

She studied them, noticing short, silvery scars dotting the backs of his fingers and knuckles.

Unimpressed, she turned back to the scenery of bustling cars and pedestrians crossing the streets with their grocery bags full of those granola bars that went on sale for the week.

"Got a name, sweetheart?" Mr. looked-older-than-he-really-was asked.

"Nope," she sighed, that annoying boredom making her pizza taste not as good. It was probably the company. Should have kept Christmas, at least he knew how to keep a conversation.

"I'm Toby but friends call me T." Toby Smiled, probably thinking it was the most attractive look he was capable of.

"Hmm, kay." Kimmy licked her fingers, wondering why she stared at that group so much at Vinny's. This boy reminded her of a piece of cardboard, wearing a leather jacket. Noel had the right idea to get away from such a dry, crusty crowd.

Toby lifted a leg up to set it on the edge. The hem of his pantleg rode up just a tad to show delicate flower petals inked into his skin.

"You have a tattoo?" Kimmy couldn't help herself but ask, a newfound interest in the lifeless character next to her.

Toby rolled his pant leg up to reveal a sunflower right above the ball of his ankle.

"My favorite flower." His eyes scanned the dark designs on her arms, coming to stop on one positioned just above her elbow. "Are Daisies your favorite?" He pointed to it.

"My mom's," she answered, shrugging. She glanced down at the swirly shape, no bigger than the width of her thumb. A few petals tumbled down to the tip of her elbow from the flower, reminding her of the reason of its permanence.

"Why your mom's?" Toby queried, tilting his head to land on his knee.

"Don't know," she shrugged again, knowing the reason all too well.

"You seem like the type of person that would only get something that means something to you, though." Toby squinted at her as if trying to read between the lines.