Grey Street // H.S.

Chapter 3: "So what did you steal for me?"

I came from a "rich" family so in that way I should have hung out with the rest of the popular rich kids. They are even bigger idiots than the jocks though. They tried multiple times to get me to join their cult but I told them to fuck off, I used those exact words, multiple times, before they finally stopped trying.

I like to smoke weed, so in that way I should have hung out with the stoners. But they were the unproductive type of stoners and literally all they did was get high. I like to get high I don't want to be in that state of mind for every moment of my life.

There was a week or so that I hung out with artsy kids, because I like to paint. But they were the type of artsy kids who loved to listen to emo-rock and personally I think that it is some of the worst music ever made. So that didn't last long.

I was "group-less".

That's probably how I became kind-of-sort-of friends with Matt. He was also "group-less" but in a different way than me. I was "group-less" because I didn't want to conform to one thing and I love fucking up the systems of the world. Matt was "group-less" because he just honestly didn't give a damn where you came from he was going to be nice to you. That's why everyone loves Matt. It was more like he was part of every group in a small way rather than being "group-less".

"Elle," I hear the door slam and Ethan's adorable voice coming from the front. "I'm done with school, I'm done with school, I'm done with school... yeah," he does this funny dance as he walks into the kitchen, singing the words to a made up tune.

Ethan is eight and probably one of the coolest kids I'll ever know. He's little so it's easy to look past him at first, even with his bright blue eyes, but he's full of might so it doesn't last long. He's so smart that it's sometimes scary and he's hilarious in this sophisticated way that I'm sure kids his age don't always understand. He could easily have his own comedy stand up show though if it were up to me.

"What's up, kid?" I take another bite of the apple in my hand, smiling at his funny dance moves.

Ethan and I have always gotten along really well. I think we've gotten into one argument since he was born and that was because he used some of my new paintbrushes that I had just bought to paint on the walls in his room. I yelled at him and he cried. A few minutes later I realized I was being an asshole and apologized. Then I gave him a high five for painting on the wall because I knew my mom would throw a fit about it.

"I'm done with school, I'm done with school..." he continues to sing and dance around the kitchen.

Part of me is annoyed that I have to watch Ethan because it's the first day I've had off from work since graduating. My annoyance doesn't last long though. It's not like I would do anything anyways, so hanging out with him won't be the worst thing ever. Plus, I like being around the kid and don't do it nearly enough.

"Elle, will you come watch me skate outside?" he stops dancing, looking at me with hopeful eyes. "I just taught myself a new trick."

"Sure," I throw the core of the apple into the garbage and follow him out.

Ethan likes to skateboard. My parents like him to play piano. He's amazing at both.

I walk out the front door and sit in the shade of our front porch as I watch Ethan run around throwing on his helmet and knee pads. After weeks of begging Ethan finally convinced my parents to set up a half pipe in our driveway. He's constantly out here unless my parents are forcing him to do homework or practice piano. 

"Ready?" he yells down as he climbs to the top of the half pipe, smiling proudly at me as he straps the last elbow pad on.

"Ready!" I yell back, smiling at him too.