I'll Be Back

Seven

It had been awhile since I had seen John. Nana had dragged me over to Mimi's so I took that as a chance to ask about John- not that I liked him. I was simply curious.

"He's spending a bit at his mother's. A few days, she said." Replied Mimi after I had asked her. I saw an amused glint in her eye. Shrugging it off I looked out of the corners of my eyes at Nana. She was sitting there, picking at her fingers until she looked up, noticing the silence. "Mimi, you mustn't be enjoying this." Mimi laughed. "Oh, but I am. It has been quite a long time since John has been gone this long of a time." She stared us both right in the eyes. I was actually amazed at how she did it. "It's pure bliss, I swear." Nana chuckled. The oven clicked and I jumped, forgetting something was cooking. "Although it is quite odd cooking for one." Mimi muttered as she got up. I looked at Nana. She shrugged, sharing the same expression I think I had. I stared at my hands and picked at them. That has been a habit as long as I can remember. They had scars all over them, but what was I to care about? It's not like it matters what I look like. "That reminds me!" Mimi suddenly exclaimed, making both Nana and me almost fall off our chairs. "John said once he came back from his mothers that you were welcome to come over in the morning, he said something about showing you the Blackjacks." I scoffed quietly. Like I was going to see his 'band.' I could care less.

It had been that few days and John was back. I had finished a new project of mine and I was mounting it on the wall. If I was to stay here for the rest of my life, why not get used to it? I heard the sliding of a window from outside my already open one. I saw John waving at me cheekily. "Miss me?" He asked. I rolled my eyes in annoyance and turned back around, trying to balance the painting so it was even. I couldn't go close the window, though. I would have to re-mount it all over again. "So, are you going to accept my offer of going to see my band?" I narrowed my eyes. "No." I could almost hear the sadness in his voice. It didn't bother me. "Why not?" That did it. Now It did not matter if I had to set my painting again. It clattered to the floor as I stomped over to the window, slamming it shut and drawing the curtains. I spun around to see Nana standing in the doorway, fuming. "Now what was all that ruckus about?" She asked angrily. "I-" I started. "No. You're going to see his band and you're going to like it." And with that she dragged me out of my room and into Mimi's house. "Roxanne would just love to go see John's band!" Nana told her. John started coming down the stairs. "Now that's funny, because she just told me-"

"Shut the hell up." I muttered. I was glad that was what did it. "Let's go, then." He mumbled, picking up the banjo from the door and sunglasses, walking outside. "What're you waiting for?" He asked as I staying in the doorway.

I walked down the pavement, keeping my eyes fixed on the ground. It had been quite awhile of silence. "So," John finally said, "why don't you like me?" He asked. "Because I don't. Is that good enough for you?" I asked. "Yeah, but why?" I glared up at him. "Because you're obnoxious and full of yourself." I stared back down at the ground, adding an extra inch or two between us. I heard him sigh, but I did not hear another word until we had arrived at that Griffith kid's house. "We're here." He muttered harshly. He knocked on the door and somebody about his age answered. "Johnny!" He practically yelled. "And who's this- your new bird?" He asked. "No." I butted in. "A forced acquaintance."

"Oh." He said, the teasing tone gone from his voice. "She's quite the buzzkill, isn't she?" He whispered as he and John walked a bit ahead of me. I glared from behind them. I wasn't about to speak up though- There was no use. "So are you going to watch us or what're you doing?" Asked Eric.

"I can't do much else, can I?" They both shrugged and walked into the garage where a few others were waiting. Nor Eric or John introduced them. I didn't care.

About five or ten minutes in I got bored and started zoning out, staring at the ceiling of the garage. I pulled out a pen, since for the weirdest reason I always keep one in my pocket. I snapped off the cap and doodled on the right palm of my hand. When I was younger I had read somewhere left-handed people were more creative. I then self-taught myself to be left handed.

Before I knew it, my whole hand was full of ink and John was elbowing me. "Come on. Mimi wants us back before nine and it's already half past eight." I sighed and pulled my sleeve over my hand, slipping the cap back on the pen.

I walked out of the house, trailed by John who was lugging his banjo. "Slow down, will you?" He grunted, annoyed. I shrugged and kept at the same pace. It sounded like he was about to say something else until he stopped. I stopped at Nana's house and walked inside, not stopping once to say goodbye or looking over my shoulder. I shut the door quietly and pulled off my shoes.

"Stop trying to sneak around, Roxanne." I heard Nana's voice come from the kitchen. "You need to start getting along with John better." She said. I was bewildered. I shook it off and slipped into the kitchen. Straightening my hoodie I looked her in the eye. She was quite good, for somebody with no kids or husband.

"You're not the only one going through a hard time. He can only visit his mother and his father just disappeared one day." I glared at her.

"At least they're not dead." I nearly yelled. "I watched as they died." Nana gasped. "What?" She exclaimed.

"I dreamed of it." I said. "It was a rainy night- they were getting you from the airport. I guess you were visiting. My father took his eyes off the road for a second." I paused. "They swerved off and hit a telephone pole." Nana stared at me. She got up. I flinched, afraid for what she would do. "It's alright." She said.

For once in that last week I felt comfortable.

Actually, it's been quite awhile since I've felt this comfortable.