The One that Wasn't

Pinkie Promises

“Ah, yes. You'd be working Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sunday afternoons. Since you're still a high school student I wouldn't want you to be out too late and I'm sure your parents would agree with me on this( I doubt that). So, your latest work hour would go to 2 AM, which would be on Saturday and the rest of the nights would be until 12 AM. You'd be expected to be there at 8 PM. Now, we aren't actually open on Sundays, but those are the days we really clean the place up. You'd have to be there at 1 PM and work until 5 PM. And since you just got in town we'll let you settle in and you can start in two weeks, on Friday.”

Father, you're so cruel, I whimper to myself, biting my cheek. As Mr. Walsh counted off the hours I calculated when I would get to see mom- practically never. . .Mom works from 3 to 11 on week nights. On the weekend she's off, but I'd barely get to see her what with homework and now this job. Father knew this! He knew this and yet he accepted this job for me. I want to scream and punch at my father, but all I can do is look up at him with watering eyes. His eyes hide an evil grin in them, which only infuriates me even more. The rustic taste of blood fills my mouth after chewing on my cheek too much.

I swallow the blood and make sure my voice is steady before I give my answer, “I accept your conditions.”

“Well, then, now that that's all settles I wouldn't want to intrude on your household any longer. I'm sure Scarlett has homework to do and you have your own business to attend to as well, Henry. I'd be much obliged if you wouldn't mind taking us home,” Mr. Walsh says, leaving his seat moving to our side of the table, “It was a pleasure meeting you, Scarlett.”

“The pleasure was all mine,” I return, smiling into his crinkling face.

I look on as he moves on to my father to exchange a few words between themselves, forgetting all about Finn.

“Now we finally meet, Scarlett,” Finn whispers in an aluring purr into my ear. He slips his hand into mine and gives it a squeeze.

I swear I jump two feet high before twisting around to face him; our fingers still locking. Anger flushes my face as I look up into his laughing eyes, but beneath that curtain of laughter is a pained expression of worry. It doesn't phase my anger. I yank my hand from his, replacing it by my side and give him the meanest glare I can muster up.

This man is unbelievable! He always sees my at my worst or at my clumsiest, and then screws with my emotions by throwing a caring curve ball! I have the urge to sucker punch him in the stomach for seeing past my facade and for teasing me at the shittiest time ever. But, I've already shown too much to him in front of my father. Not intentionally, but this man, this janitor, Finn, can get past all of the barriers I've set up. This behavior cannot be condoned.

Just as I'm about to open my mouth in retort of his bold actions Mr. Walsh calls him away. Finn leaves my side- not after giving me a cocky smirk- and returns to his father's side at the door. I keep my stony expression, glowering at his back as he walks away from me.

“By the way, honey, I won't be back until late, okay?” I faintly hear my father's voice before he closes the door shut behind him.

Without wasting a second I dash up the stairs and go into my room, locking the door behind me. My only regret: I didn't grab any food on the way up.

~*~

Nine o'clock rolls around and Father still isn't home. Although, I'm not really expecting him to be home until at least twelve, which means I could probably grab some food quick before he got home. I'm not willing to take the risk. With my luck he'd come home while I'm getting food. So, I'll just stay doing what I've been doing or the past two hours: going in between gazing at the stars and staring at the pictures of my old friends taped to my dresser mirror across the room.

“I'm pathetic,” I whisper, giving a wry smile and hanging my head. I don't even have the courage to call my best friends on the phone. Maybe they've forgotten all about me. Maybe Maddison's still angry at me even though it wasn't my fault. Maybe they have better things to do than talk with one of their best friends who abandoned them. Maybe. . .Enough! We're still friends and I don't want to loose that friendship! If she's forgotten me I'll make her remember me. If she's still angry at me I'll apologize if it'll make her feel better. And if she doesn't want to talk to me because I've abandoned her I'll apologize for that as well!

I march over to the bed with newly found confidence, determined to call Maddison. I pick up my phone from off of the bed and search for Maddison's number. Even with all of this confidence bumbling inside of me it only takes one look at the number for the hesitancy to reappear.

What if she doesn't pick up? I click the number. What if she already deleted me from her phone and doesn't recognize the number? I listen to her phone ring sever times. What if-?

“Hellloooo?” comes Maddison's peppy yet lethargic voice from the other end. Something's wrong.

“Maddison?” I ask into the receiver, ignoring my intuition that something's up.

“Oh, hellooo, Sssscarlett,” she slurs back.

“Maddison, is everything okay?” I inquire, this time paying full attention to the nagging in the back of my head. Worry spreads through me like wild fire. It almost sounds as if she's. . .drunk. But, that's absurd! Maddison always swore to me that she'd never go to a high school party and get drunk like we always saw in all of those movies. We pinkie promised each other in our freshman year we'd never do it! What could have happened to make her like this?

“Maddie, who's on the phone? You really shouldn't be talking to anyone right now in your state,” my eyes go wide as I hear Jenna's muffled voice through the receiver.

“Nothing's wrroonng. Scarlett I just had a little drink and. . .and. . .,” her sentence isn't finished as she goes into a fit of hiccups. A few grunts can be heard through the phone as Jenna takes the cellphone out of Maddie's hand.

“Look, I'm really sorry, but Maddison can't talk to you right now. I'll tell her to call you back.”

Jenna hangs the phone up on me and the dial tone rings in my ear. The phone drops from my fingers onto the floor, but I don't notice. I'm too horror-struck with the answer I've come up with for the question I'd asked myself. Maddison would have never picked up a bottle of beer in her life if I'd been there. If I'd have been there I would have stuck up with her. We would have refused to drink together. Because I left she fell down and took the offered drink. Because of me she broke our promise. Thank goodness Jenna was there to bail her out, but it should've been me. I should have been the one there to bail her out. I should have been the one there to make sure she didn't go out partying, but I failed her.

I shiver and my body continues to tremble. The room feels ice cold; it feels as if I have ice in my veins. I bring my knees up to my chest and roll onto my side. Squeezing my eyes shut, I try to make the flow of tears stop but they gush forth. Ice cold tears run down my face. Sobs wrack my body as I let go of the tension that's been in me for the past few days. In the end, I cry myself to sleep. What a great way to start off an awful weekend.