The Better Life // Ryan Ross

Before The Better Life~Part 2

     "Grandma, Grandpa, im home!" I said as I opened the front door.

     "You're home really early this time. What happend?" asked my grandmother sitting on the couch.

     "Stuff. . ." I said looking down as I sat next to her.

     "Like what?" my grandmother asked suspiciously.

     "I opened the door and they were fighting again so I just started watching TV.  I got bored and went to their room to play with Jeffrey and he was crying so I took him to the living room and gave him ice. When I put the ice on his arm he yelled.Then I just left."

     "Okay, but why is the right side of your face red?"

     ". . .mom came from the room and thought I hurt him so she slapped me. . ." I said getting teary eyed a little.

     "Oh my darling!" She got up and went to the freezer to get ice for my face."Let me see your face." I turned my face to the left so she could examine the huge red handprint on my face."At least its not as bad as the ones you usually get" she said as she placed the ice gently on my face."Better?" I swear she deserves to be my mother more than that abusive witch.

     "Yes. Thank you Grandma." I said hugging her. When we released, I remembered what I had to ask her. "Umm, Grandma?"

     "Yes, darling?"

     "On my way home, I saw Audrey and, she asked me if I could go to a singing place with her. Can I go?"

     "Is her mom going to go?"

     "Yes."

     "Let me meet her mom and maybe, I'll let you go."

     "Okay, Grandma. I'm gonna go to the park and tell Audrey that you need to talk to her mom." I said getting up and walking to the door.

     "Have fun!Don't do anything bad." she said getting up and going to her room to probably look outside and stalk me from her window.

     "Byee!"

     "Adiós princessa!"

     Luckily, the park's literally right behind my apartment. I walked down the stairs and past my favorite tree again. All the kids were hiding from Jason, my best guy friend since he was born because my grandmother hired his mom so, they got along great.

     "Hi, Jason!" I said walking up to him.

     "Hi, Jamie! We're playing hide and seek do you wanna play?" he asked with a smile.

     "Sure!"

     "Guys, Jamie's here! Come out!" he called out, and soon about 10 kids came out of their hidding spots and crowded us.

     "Who's going to be it now?" asked Yessica.

     "Not me!" we all said in unison.

     "How about we do 'Inky, Dinky, Donkey' to settle this." I suggested.

     "Okay." They said in unison.

     When we were done, Yessica was it. She closed her eyes and started counting to 20 while we all ran to find a hiding spot.

     "Jamie, come with me." Audrey said as she grabbed my arm pulling me with her to wherever it was we were going. We stopped in front of a small tree next to a different apartment. I had to admit, it was very well hidden. She climbed up first and sat on a high branch. I soon climbed up as well and stood on a branch a little lower then hers.

"What did your Grandparents say?"

     "My grandma said that she had to meet your mom, then she would decide if I could go or not."

     "Okay."

     "When do you think they could talk with each other?" I asked.

     "My mom's not working today, so todays fine."

     "Okay great! When were done with this game do you think they should talk?"

     "Yeah, especially because it's like tomorrow. Can you keep a secret?"

     "Of course!"

     "Lets make this our secret tree, no one can know about this but us, okay? Only you and me."

     "Okay, just you and me." I replied as I put my finger on my lips as she did the same.

"Can you tell me anything about who we're going to hear sing?"

     "Sure. They're like 4 people in the band. The singers name is Patrick, the guy who plays guitar is Joe, the guy who plays something like the guitar is Pete, and the person who plays the drums is Andy." she told me much more about Fall Out Boy untill we noticed it was starting to get dark.

     "Wow, they still haven't found us, do you think we should get down and walk to the park?" I asked.

     "Good idea." We both got down, me by jumping of my branch and her by taking the 'safe' way which was climbing back down. We started to walk on the sidewalk and turned left to go to the park.

     "Im gonna go home guys, byee!" we heard someone yell not looking where they're going untill he crashed into Audrey with them right on top of her. "Oops. . ."

     "It's okay, Jason. It was an accident." she said as she looked into his green eyes while he looked into her blue ones.

     "Ooooooh" I said laughing shortly after.

     "EWWWWWWWWWW! " they said in unison as they got up.

     "Well. . . byee!" Jason said and quickly ran off home blushing.

     When we got to the park we saw Yessica and all the other kids trying to look for us untill they saw us both walking towards them.

     "Where were you guys hiding?" asked Yessica with a slightly angry tone in her voice. Audrey and I both looked at each other as we put our finger over our lips. "Secrets, huh? Can I know?"

     "No, or else it wouldn't been a secret anymore!" I replied.

     "Fine. I have to go home so, bye guys!" and with that more and more people started to go home leaving Audrey and I to be the last.

     "Hey, lets go get your grandma to come come to my apartment so she can talk to my mom." Audrey said happily.

     "Okay." And with that we walked to my apartment.

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I know not much,and a lot of conversations,  but it will get better if you think positive. Thank you strangers!