The Art of Avoiding You

Chapter Three

"No."

He looked taken aback by what I said and didn't react as I walked away and unlocked my van getting in, I gave him one last glance and was about to drive away whene spoke again.

"Why, is there something you don't like about me?" When he spoke his voice cracked and I took a good look at him, he was pretty tall and stood over me by atleast two inchies, with defined muscles on a athletic build. He was quite good looking, with a defined jaw, clear ice blue eyes and wavy brown hair that was kept geled and styled, but looking at him I felt nothing.

"I have nothing against you, I just don't have time for you and whatever it is you're trying to do." He frowned deeply saying nothing and I pulled out the parking lot and headed off to pick up Allen.

It was Friday and that meant that the girls would be out in the field by the park playing with their friends, so I had always picked him up first and then headed to get them so they get that extra time with their friends, no matter how litte it was.

When I got there he was already by the gate waiting to go, I knew he was upset about something the minute I saw him with his head down and cap pulled down to cover his face. I sighed and went over to him, I crouch and tilted my head so I could see in his eyes. "Tell me what happened."

He looked at me and started sobbing, I raised up and moved pulling him into a hug, he wraped his arms around my waist and cried into my stomach. He wouldn't tell me, not until he had calmed down a bit and as usual I had no idea when that would be, so I just held him for a long time, until his crying slowed to sniffles.

I moved him to the van and packed away hiw chair when I was done strapping him in, the drive was quiet as his mint green eyes stared out the window, I sucked my lip in my mouth to keep from sighing again. Instead of going to the girls school I stopped at the field that was a block away from it , parking where he couldn't see the children playing as he sat there.

I got out and jogged over to where the girls were sitting with their friends laughing, Lexie was the first to spot me, jumping up so she could come over and hug me shortly after she was followed by Lila. I told the other kids good afternoon and waited for the girls to get their things before we headed to the van where once again the game of rock paper scissors ensued and Lila came out victorious.

I laughed as Lexie stomped her feet complaining that Lila was cheating because this was the third day in a row that she had sat shotgun. I settled them down and got them in the van, looking at Allen who greeted the twins and returned his eyes out the window, it was immediate that the caught on to his mood and went quiet.

The drive was silent, with them telling me that I should pick what we had for dinner, Lexie got out the van with me and headed in the grocery store to help me shop for the weekend. It took longer than usual because we were shopping for close to four days worth on food, I bought them a box with separtely packaged cookies and some fruit popsicles for there weekend, where as for myself I bought three cans of monster juice and a dark chocolate bar.

Lexie made a face at the sight of it, probably remembering the time she and Lila had sneaked a bite of it only for a bitter taste to enter their mouths, I shook my head at her and quickly paid for everything. She made grunting noises as she helped me carry the bags and helped to put them in the back of the van, soon we were in the van and on hour way home.

When we got there I was met with the familar sight of a woman standing by the door in a white sundress, long black coat and boots, leaning againat the door with a cigarette between her lips and a suitcase by her feet. I pulled into the driveway and she watched me, taking one last puff of her cigarette and switching it out for some mint gum before she went to the door to pull the laughing girls into a hug.

I helped Allen out and into his chair before moving to grab the bags, she saw that and walked over to help letting the girls just grab the backpacks and lunch kits.

"So you were able to come this weekend?" She hummed in reply and I cut her a stare. "I need to know that you're here for the whole weekend and that you're not just gonna up and leave without letting me know before hand."

She gave me an apologetic smile and put her hands together. "I'm really sorry about leaving just like that the other day and then not ahowing up the last two weekends, but I already sorted it out and I'll be here with you and the kida for the weekend okay?"

I nodded and walked away with the bags I had, we set them on the table and the girls started to pack everything away as we moved to the living room. "I know you've had it rough for a while so i'm here so you can rest, even if it's just for a few hours, okay?"

I sighed nodding and she smiled "okay so i'll just look after everything here, you can help out Allen and then go and rest, don't worry, okay?" I nodded and gave her one last look before padding over to allen who was seated in a corner looking out the window.

He watched me when I approached him and unstrapped himself allowing me to pick him up and take him upstairs, I gave him a good scrub down and then changed him into some sweats and a t before taking him back downstairs and letting him sit in the couch.

I went to the corner of the room and pulled the white cloth off the tv that only went on on the weekends, I plugged it in and handed him the remote, letting him know to gwt his homework done first.

I headed upstairs and into my room fighting the urge to just drop down on my bed and pass out, I went to the closet and grabbed some boxers and a sweat pants and headed for the shower. For the first time in the week I was able to stay here for more than ten minutes and I enjoyed the hot water that ruahed down my skin leaving it pink.

When I was done I came out and dryed off, I got dressed dumping my clothes in the wash basket and brushed my teeth before I headrd to my room and collapsed into a dreamless sleep on my bed.

*
I hadn't woken up again for the night, not to eat or take Allen up yhe stairs because she was always able to do it by just carring him on her back. When I woke up it was early in the morning and the sun would only rise two hours later, but the urge to eat something was what had me getting up.

I checked on Allen and then the girls who was fast asleep in their bed wrapped around our young aunt who slept with her head thrown back and mouth hanging open, though she was oddly quiet, I shook my head at the sight and headed downstairs.

I switched on the light and went to the fridge opening it to find a plate of stir fried noodles that was covered down with plastic wrap, I took it out and stuck it in the microwave, in the mean time I made a cup of coffee.

When the microve dinged I took my food, I sat down and taking a deep breath as I did, it was really quiet and I could hear nothing, so I sat there and felt at peace for first time in a while and soon found myself just sittting there for a good few minutes.

I soon came out of it and started eating, taking my time as I did and not having the need to just inhale my food, it was a while later when I was done that I checked the time, it was saturday and instead of getting to relax I had to get ready for school.

I took a shower, brushed my teeth and got dressed taking my bag and sat at the dinnibg table, I studdied and opened a new note book out of the pack that I had bought in bulk becauae it would be cheaper for all of us.

I opened my text book and started going over my notes writing down the things I had missed and rewriting what I hadn't, by the time the sun rose and the clock struck six, I had been halfway through the notebook, knowing I had to go I grabbed four new notebooks stuffing it in my bag and doubling checking I had everything.

I got up and pulled on my boots, jacket and bucket hat, along with my phone abd earphones and headed out the door locking it behind me, I decided to just walk so that she had the van in case she wanted to take the kids out.

I talked myself into believing the half an hour walk would work well for exercise, not that I needed it, I had always been a fit kid and I got into exercising even more after everything happened, it was my escape and I would always try and find time to put a bit in no matter how busy I was, well except for when I get too tired to even think straight.

I hummed the song that played in my ear and pulled my hat down futher to cover my face when the school came into view, it was a building that even as a highschool student I hadn't spent much time in, for obivious reasons, but I took a deep breath and headed in.