RENEGADES

Chapter Nine

The next few days droned by.  It felt like everything in my life had suddenly gone silent.  My dad came home on Sunday but didn't say a word to me.  Not about where he was, or if he was worried about me, or what had gone on.  I tried talking to him, but he wouldn't respond.  At one point, I started yelling at him, demanding answers.  Usually, it was the other way around.  He wouldn't even look at me.  He just sat on his bed in the apartment.  

I went to school on Monday, but it felt weird.  The other students were still buzzing about the dance.  I couldn't join them; I had bigger problems.  Elle didn't come to school unless she had strategically planned her day to avoid me.  I was terribly heartsick.

The Roaches were nowhere to be found.  Not at school, not on the sidewalks, the parks, or even the dark alleyways.  Siggy and I were beginning to get worried.  It was like they were plotting revenge or something.  

Siggy.  He was the only one I could talk to.  We still joked and laughed.  But it was hard without Thomas at our side.  He was our leader, our glue.  He brought us together in the first place.  And now we weren't even walking by Dilly's.  Thomas had shut us out when we needed him most.  

I suppose Siggy and I did okay without him.  Fighting the Roaches I mean.  We had shrunk them down quite a lot.  I'll never forget the fear that had leaked into Rickie's green eyes...

---

By Tuesday morning, I couldn't take it anymore.  I skipped school and walked over to Elle's apartment.  I knocked on her balcony window.  She came out looking ashamed.

"Andy, I'm sorry for running from you, I shouldn't have turned on you like that," Elle shook her head.  The sun was even brighter when she used my nickname.

"I'm sorry too," I said.  "I rushed in too soon.  It was wrong."

She took my hand.  "Come on, I want to show you something."

I watched as Elle let go of my hand and climbed on top of the balcony railing.  She carefully leaned up against the building and used the edge of the window to climb on top of the roof. 

"You're next," she looked down on me from the roof.  

"Oh-kay," I said nervously.  I followed her example while trying not to die.  

We sat perched on top of the roof looking out at the morning sun spraying the city of Manhatten in gold.  It was beautiful, like a dream.  I took a deep breath of the fresh new air.  I liked to think that in the morning, the air was new like it hadn't been used yet.  It's stupid I know, but it's a nice thought.

"I guess I got scared, that's why I was upset.  No one has ever told me that they loved me before. I felt like I wasn't ready, I wasn't prepared.  So I ran,'' she told me.

"You don't need a speech when someone tells you they love you," I said.  "Just sharing your thoughts, I think."

"You're right.  You were being honest and I wasn't."

A flock of pigeons landed behind us on the roof and began cooing.

I couldn't believe no one had ever told Marielle they loved her.  That was insane.  Her aunt was an idiot.  

"I'm honored to be the first one to tell you they love you," I looked at her.

"I'm glad you are the first one.  As long as you meant it."

"I did."

I'm not certain how long we sat on that roof.  It could have been seconds or hours.  There was no difference.  

"Who do you want to be, someday?" Elle asked me.

How to answer this?  I had never really planned out my life, to say the least.  One thing for sure, I was not going to college.  There was no way I could afford it.  Travel wasn't really my thing, but neither was being stuck behind a desk all day.

"I just wanna be the best I can be," I said.  "Whether that's a repairman, or a firefighter, or a father.   I want to do my best and do it well."

"I want to be a mom," Elle said.  "I want to be able to be there for my family and comfort my children, and tell them I love them."

"Well, that is definitely helping people." I remembered what she had said at Dairy Queen.  "You are raising young people and making others feel good."  Elle probably longed for the feeling of a family since she had never known love.  I liked to think that someday Elle's family would be our family.

"Didn't I say you have a way with words?" she nudged me.

I smiled.  "Yes, you did."

"Of all the people who could be sitting on this rooftop next to me this morning, I'm glad its you," Elle leaned over and playfully ruffled my curly hair.  I pretended to swat her hand away even though I loved it.  She laughed.

"MARIELLE! COME HERE!" the harsh voice of an woman rang from underneath us.  

"Shoot! I have to go," she said and began climbing back down to the balcony.  

"Wait," I mumbled, grabbed her hand and gave it a soft kiss.  "See you later."

The biggest smile appeared on her face as she disappeared below the side of the building.

---

That afternoon, I was walking along a backstreet that I hadn't explored much in a while, when a familiar voice echoed above me.

"Well if it ain't mister Andrew Grove his-self."  I looked up at the lean shadow sitting on a tall pile of wooden crates.  Puffs of smoke escaped from his lips.

"Theo James! I was wondering when we'd see ya again," I smiled at my friend.  Theo jumped down from his tower and clapped me on the back.  He was wearing a faded green sweatshirt that had the letters NY sewn on it.  

"Where'v you been?" I asked.

"Well, after I hightailed it outta here months ago, I hiked over to Flushing and gotta job working as a painter.  It paid decently enough, I thought I was finally getting my big break.  But my father found me again.  So I went back to Jersey, got back to some old pals, met a few girls, lost a lot of money.  Anyways, I hadn't seen my father around so I figured it was safe for me to come back here and see you guys."

"Sounds like fun," I said.

"Well it sounds like it kid, but it ain't.  It ain't no fun looking over your shoulder all the time."

"You can't call me kid when I'm the same age as you," I objected with a smile.

"Almost, you ain't eighteen yet." Theo took a long puff from his cigarette as we walked out onto the main street.  "So where's everybody else? Thomas and Siggy?" 

I sighed and looked down at my worn out sneakers.  I desperately needed a new pair.  

"Siggy is in school and Thomas is working," I told him.

"What? Of all the places I'd expect them to be, those two didn't make the list.  What is Thomas doing working?"

"Beats me.  But he isn't really acting like we're a gang no more," I shrugged.

"Don't worry daddy-o, I'll go talk to him, where's he at?" Theo asked.

"Dilly's."

"Another unexpected answer," Theo called after me as he began running towards the resturaint.  I began walking the other way, and I didn't really know where.

Big Daddy Theo coming in town to straighten everybody out :) Once again, sorry for taking so long to publish.

Happy Reading,

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