Let's Fix This

Chapter 15

"Ooo, can we chill after?" Henry asks.

"What?" I say completely lost and then I realize what he's talking about.

"Ugh Henry! No!" I say to him and he laughs. 

"Oooo can we watch Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Then Space Jam?" Henry asks and I shrug my shoulders. If it makes him happy, I'm all for it. Plus those are two of my favorite movies but he doesn't need to know that.

"Aww, have you never watched those before? Are you even old enough to-?" He starts to say but I stop him. Am I old enough? He's only older than me by a few months, the little fucker.

"Boy! Yes I am those are 2 of my all time favorite fucking movies if I'll have you know. And literally you're older than me by like what? A few months or something? And don't you say it's cause I'm short because I bet you've got something that's short too." I blow up on him and I see his taken-back face. 

"I'll have you know, it's actually above average when soft thank you." He says and I roll my eyes. I didn't need to know that.

"Was that seriously all you focused on? Let's watch the damn movie please and don't say anything." I say as I see Henry open his mouth to speak. He just smirks and I start the movie.

"Ahh, fun times." Henry says as we finish Space Jam. I nod in agreement. I lift my head off of his chest and yawn.

"Somebody's sleepy. What's next?" He says and I try to wake myself up a little. Wakey wakey.

"I don't know, I'm actually kind of tired. Question time?" I suggest and Henry nods.

"Okay, what's a memory you'll always treasure?" He asks me. I was so not expecting that, huh. I don't have many like that. 

"I don't oh actually," I start but then the memory of my first dance recital comes to mind," probably my first dance recital because Uncle Roscoe and Dad came. Then afterwards they took me out for pizza and ice cream. Then later that night we got home and it was just the 3 of us, no mom or sister to ruin it." I say remembering how happy I was. Uncle Roscoe and Dad swung me around, played catch with me as the ball and it was so exhilarating. I miss Uncle Roscoe.

"You're smile is extraordinary. Don't ever stop." Henry comments pulling me out of my thoughts. I feel some blood in my cheeks and I bite my lip to stop smiling.

"Thanks, uh what about you?" I ask him and he goes deep in thought. I can tell cause his eyebrows furrow. I wait patiently while he thinks.

"Okay only one so it would have to be the exact moment my dad told me he'd change. Believe it or not, there was a time when he was a heavy drinker always angry and fussing. But there was one night, I found him drinking and crying, I asked what was wrong and he said he'd failed me as a father and that'd he change. And he did change but only for the worse, I actually think I'd prefer him in his drinking phase than him now." Henry says thoughtfully and I just take it all in.

"Wow, thanks for sharing that with me and since we're talking what was he like?" I ask. Henry smiles.

"He was something, when he drank he was definitely angry but never at me. It's like no matter how much he drank or how angry he got when I came into his view he was sober and calm. I loved that I could calm him down, I was literally his whole world. He would curse at mom and scream at her but he never touched her. When he was with me, he taught me everything. The best kind of girl, how to get her, how to throw a football, shoot a basketball, how to be the best goalie, how to run properly and just everything. He was amazing even with his drinking problem, I miss that Dad. How about yours?" Henry says and I just sit there amazed for a few minutes.

"Henry that really sounds great, my dad wasn't like that, he had more bad than good. But those few good moments kept me from hating him. He's attempted to commit suicide, once in front of me though I was too young to realize it at the time. I'll never forget that he told me he'd get better and one day he just left. He was gone for 6 months and when he was finally found, he almost died. It was so close and after that I distanced myself from him. But he just, he's always had some issues. I'd hear him mumbling around the house, talking to himself and telling everyone or rather the voices in his head to leave him alone. He was destructive and soon he became a drug addict for about 3 months, it was terrible. I got humiliated in school because I was always going to the nurse and stealing her drugs for my dad. All the little white kids made fun of me." I say and Henry clenches his fist causing me to stop.

"Sorry, I just started talking about everything, what was the original question?" I ask him trying to get back on topic.

"Nah it's okay, I like hearing you talk cause I learn more about you and I love learning about you." Henry says and I feel like he wants to say something else but I'll let him get away with whatever it is just this once.

"Okay, thanks for listening." I say and Henry nods. 

"Should we go home now? " He asks and I nod. I gather our stuff and put it all in the basket. Henry starts to fold up the sheets and we step outside after he's done.

"Do you wanna take this down now or?" I ask and Henry shakes his head 'no'. I smile and we just walk away to the car. We'll go back for our little tent eventually. Or maybe we'll leave it there, it's our little place. It felt so good to talk about all of that earlier and that's the first time someone hasn't told me I talk too much. Henry walks slightly ahead of me and I look at his hair. I love it. Speaking of things I love, his face is really good-looking. He's got a great personality and he's always got me smiling and laughing. Why did I blush earlier when he complimented me? Why do I blush anytime he compliments me? Maybe it's just the way he says it? Or maybe it's how his eyes stare into my soul and dare me to tell him I'm lying when he speaks or maybe it's just how his lips move. 

It's settled then, I like Henry. I live with Henry and I've got a crush on him. A major crush. Gosh fucking dammit!