We talked all the way into morning, still not tired. He left through my window at 6:30 AM-ish.
While I was getting ready, the only thing I could think about was that kiss. But I had to push it aside because my mother was screaming for me.
You see, my mother wasn't "unstable", the only reason she lost custody of me is because she had a drug addiction. The state made my aunt my legal guardian, and my mom just got out of rehab.
She said she was trying to change herself, for me. Her, and my aunt didn't like each other. My aunt is my brothers sister, so technically they are sister-in-laws.
My mother was widowed when I was 10, that started her drug abuse. When I was 11, she got caught and sent to rehab, she just recently returned two months ago, and she is doing much better.
I went down the stairs to see why she was calling me, and she sat at the island smiling at me. "First of all I would like to ask you, who was in your room last night?" She asked and I froze.
"Why, uh," I stammered "a friend."
She nodded and smirked, "oh by the way I needed you to go get some bread from the store, we don't have any left."
I nodded and took the money she held out for me. I went upstairs to put on my shoes, and looked in the mirror satisfied with my appearance. I went back downstairs and outside my house walking to the store.
I had a rep around here, I knew that, that's why it didn't bother me when people went out of their way to make sure they didn't bump into me. I just quietly laughed to myself when they did, it was kind of funny for someone to be so afraid of a thirteen year old girl.
When I got to the store I picked up the bread and when I finished paying for it, I put it in my bag. As I was about to leave the store, someone said my name.
I turned around and noticed Gordie, I smiled at him "hi."
"I'm going to the tree house, do you want to come?" He asked me and I nodded. As we were walking there he asked me the dreaded question that haunts me "are you going to take the college courses next year?"
My mind froze, I was smart enough to take them, but no one else thought I was. "I wish," I said, I was ok with my answer for now.
He just nodded "I don't think I'm going to," he said and I looked at him like he was talking crazy, because he was.
"What the hell do you mean you're not?" I asked him and he looked confused "Jesus Gordie, you are one of the, no the best writer, in our class, what the fuck do you mean you aren't going to take college courses?" He just shook his head.
"Jesus, you sound like Chris," he muttered as we approached the ladder.
When he climbed up he did the "secret knock" and I climbed up too. It was only Chris and Teddy there, and they were playing cards.
I turned on the radio "Hey it's the bossman Bob Cormier here. It's a beautiful Friday morning in Portland! It's 90 K.L.A.M degrees and getting hotter! Up the ladder with another platter! It's Bobbie Day with 'Rocking Robin' It's boss!" I hummed along to the radio while Gordie was looking at a magazine.
"Hey you guys wanna play?" Teddy asked I shook my head but Gordie started playing. I just sat, like I was part of the background.
Chris started telling a joke, "Hey, how do you know a Frenchman's been in your backyard?" Oh man, I've only heard this one about a thousand times.
"Hey, I'm french, okay." Teddy said and I rolled my eyes. Chris was about to answer his own joke when I beat him to it.
"Your garbage cans are empty and your dog's pregnant." I answered casually and he smiled at me.
Teddy got a little pissed "Didn't I just say I was french?" He asked.
"I knock." Chris said.
"Shit."
"Twenty-nine." Chris placed down his cards.
"Twenty-two." Teddy put down his.
Gordie looked around before he put down his cards "Piss up a rope!"
Teddy got a kick out of this "Gordie's out. Oh Gordie just bit the bag and stepped out the door!"
Chris shut him up "Come on, man, deal."
Gordie sat back down next to me and we continued to watch the guys play, I couldn't believe I was missing out on a friendship like this my whole life.
"Oh hey guys, Mallory is gonna take college courses," Gordie said and I looked at him. Really?
"What the hell, Gordie?" I asked. And the other guys smiled.
Teddy saved me from an awkward conversation "I knock," he said.
"You foureyed pile of shit!" Chris didn't believe him.
"That pile of shit has a thousand eyes!" Chris and I started laughing "What? What's so funny? Come on, I've got thirty, what have you got?"
"Sixteen." Chris said still laughing.
"Go ahead, keep laughing. I'd turn you right down." Teddy said but was interrupted by three knocks on the door.
"Knock the secret knock!" Gordie yelled.
Vern yelled back "I forget the secret knock, let me in!"
"Vern!" We all said, even I knew it was him. "Come on you guys, open up! Oh man, you guys are not gonna believe this. This is so boss. Oh man, wait'll you hear this, wait'll you hear this. You won't believe it. It's unbelievable. Let me catch my breath. I ran all the way from my house."
Chris stuck his hand out like he was holding a microphone and all the boys leaned in "I ran all the way home." I joined in singing "Just to say I'm sorry, sorry oh ... can't.."
"Come on, guys, listen to me. Guys, come on! Okay, forget it. I'll tell you nothing." Vern was getting mad at the lack of attention we were giving him.
"Alright, guys, alright. What is it, man?" Chris asked.
"Okay, great, you won't believe this sincerely." He went to start talking again before we cut him off.
"I ran all the way home!" We sang, again.
"Screw you guys!" Now he seemed mad so I decided to listen.
"What is it?" I asked, interested.
"Can you guys camp out tonight? I mean if you tell your folks, we're gonna tent on my backfield?"
"Yeah." Chris said. "I think so. My dad's kind of on a mean streak. You know, he's been drinking a lot lately."
"You got to man, sincerely! You won't believe this! Can you, Gordie?" Vern pressed.
"Yeah, probably."
"So what are you pissin' and moaning about, Verno?" Teddy asked, a little annoyed.
Just when Vern was about to speak again Chris cut him off "I knock."
"What! You liar, you ain't got no pat-hand. You didn't deal yourself no pat-hand!" Teddy shouted.
"Make your draw, shitheap." Chris said laughing.
Since Vern couldn't say what he wanted to, he decided to say what would grab our attention "You guys wanna go see a dead body?" He asked and we all looked at him.
YOU ARE READING
Stand by Me
Fanfiction"You're too young to hate the world." Mallory Amazon Davis had no place to call home. She was left to live with her Aunt after her mother lost custody of her. She just wanted friends, however she was frowned upon by many. Her family was never rich...
