note books - Dwayne Hoover

2

Carmen was practically dragging Dwayne out of the water. They had both stayed out too late. She had at least 5 missed calls from her mom.

"Dwayne get your fucking jeans on let's go!"

"I'm trying!"

Dwayne was hopping around with one leg in his jeans. Carmen was pacing around and biting her nails. She tried calling her mom back, but it went straight to voicemail. She quickly walked over to Dwayne's shirt on the ground and handed it to him once he got his pants on.

"Carmen, give me one of your jackets I'll wear one."

Fumbling around, she handed him her flannel. He put it on and ran over to where their skateboards were. They both ran up the slope out of the patchy woods to the road. Carmen was more worried about her mom than losing daylight. Dwayne wasn't very worried about himself, he just hated seeing her get anxious. With the little time he's known her, he knows the most about her anxiety.

"Just breathe Carmen, feel the breeze and breathe. It'll be okay" he said reassuring her

She did exactly what he told her to and calmed down slightly. Still worrying her ass off, she took the fastest way home.

"Dwayne, do you want to spend the night?" Carmen huffed

He nodded and smiled. He loved staying at her place. Her mom would always make these nice brownies. The only part he hated while being there is when her dad came home. He would always make sure to stand up for Carmen. Even when he took his vow.

"We're almost there Carmen, don't worry."

"Thanks, Dwayne, but it's hard not to worry. I think my mom might be drunk."

Dwayne looked back at his feet. Keeping a steady pace to keep up with Carmen's frantic skating.

"Why would you think that?"

"The voicemails she left were incredibly slurred and all over the place."

Dwayne looked over at her and saw how worried she was about her mom.

They finally turn down her street and go through the back door. The front door was always locked after a specific time. He never knew why and never bothered to ask.

"Mom? Where are you?" Carmen said while kicking her shoes off

"Carmen...there you are!" her mother said, looking very intoxicated

"Mom, did you drink again?"

"I did, I'm sorry bug..." her mom said while falling back into the couch

Dwayne walked to Carmen's room. He couldn't bear to see her mom like that. He's only really known the happy Mrs. Fennec. Not drunk and unstable.

Carmen walked her mother to her bedroom and got her a weighted blanket. She knew that her mom always felt better with a weighted blanket.

"Just go to bed mom, Dwayne is staying over, okay?" Carmen said bringing her a glass of water.

"Oh that's nice honey, don't do anything I wouldn't do"

Carmen grinned sadly and cut her mother's lamp off. Shutting the door behind her, she slowly walked back into her room. Immediately met by a worried Dwayne.

"Is she okay? Did she do anything else?"

"She's okay Dwayne. I'm sorry you had to see that." Carmen said looking down.

"Don't apologize. It's not your fault nor hers."

Carmen walked over to her mustard yellow chair and sat down. Her cold clothes made her shiver. She studied Dwayne as he sat down on her bed. After a little bit, she calmly went to her closet and grabbed an old shirt and sweatpants.

"I'll be right back," She said smiling slightly

Dwayne had always liked Carmen's room. Everything in it had a memory attached to it. The chair that she sat in was the one they impulsively bought together at an antique shop. The boxed shelves that held all the little things she found on the side of the road intrigued her. She had a jewelry box from an old friend back in Ohio that held family photos. Then there was the corner of her room that held all the things she collected while they were together or things he had given her. Bookshelves of books that she never took back to the library or movies she would never finish because she hated seeing the ending of them. He smiled to himself as he thought about her. She made him a better person. He didn't need anyone else to make him happy other than her. Her. Carmen Fennec.

The door crept open as she peeked around it. He looked at her and smiled.

"Do you need a change of clothes? I have some things of yours that you left here." She said, handing him a pile of his clothes

"Yeah, thanks" He uttered

As he walked out Carmen laid down on her bed. She reached over to grab one of the many stuffed animals that sat on her pillows. The little bear Dwayne gave her for her birthday. She smiled and held it close. Dwayne cared about her a lot. She knew that. She just didn't know if he felt any other feelings about her. He could have just seen her as a really special friend. All she knew is that she saw him as more than a special friend. She closed her eyes for a split until Dwayne appeared from behind her pale door.

"Oh, is that the bear I gave you?" Dwayne smiled

Carmen sat straight up alarmed. She looked at Dwayne while he sat next to her.

"Yeah, sorry you scared me"

He smiled and laid back on one of her pillows. She had a full-sized bed. Big enough for two people. He rubbed his face and drug his hands through his hair. Carmen slowly slid down back into a laying position. She reached for his hair and started to play with it.

"Your hair dries fast," she said while twisting a lock of his hair

"Yeah it's kinda like a blessing, unlike you," Dwayne said jokingly

"Rude!" she said, elbowing him in the side

"Ouch! Dude!" he yelled, looking at her

She giggled while rolling over pushing her face into a pillow. He smiled at her and grabbed a pillow. He lightly hit her on the back with it and watched as she quickly sat up and did the same. He hopped off the bed and shielded himself with the pillow. She quickly got up and hit him again. He smiled widely and hit her in the leg with it. She stumbled but quickly gained composure. She hit him three times in a row on the back causing him to surrender.

He fell back into the bed with a smile still plastered on his face. She laid next to him and rolled over to face him. He noticed and did the same. They lay in silence staring into the eyes of each other. A blush crept onto Carmen's face, and she smiled. Dwayne moved closer to her and pulled the blanket up to their waists. Dwayne moved his hand onto her hand that was placed next to her face. He starts to rub it with his thumb. Carmen started to doze off into the comfort of Dwayne's presence. He smiled as she fell asleep. He soon did the same.

Omg I cannot believe how I already got 13 reads on the first chapter! Thank you!

word count: 1173

word goal: 1000