Back Seats

Chapter Five || Deep Breath in, Deep Breath out, Repeat

T R A V I S

Chapter 5

 Deep Breath in, Deep Breath out, Repeat

                I could still remember the day I met Marie. Not the day I moved into my house, the day I became her neighbour, but the very first time I'd seen her.

                When I was little, my parents would work a lot. Like everyday a lot. I swear they never had a day off. So for the first eight years of my life my grandmother would babysit me. My parents would go to work every morning at seven, and I would keep my grandmother company. It was a good system really, I loved my grandmother.

                When it came time for me to start school, I would get the bus from Grams house with all the other neighbourhood kids. It was on that day I met Marie for the first time. She came running out of her house, her blonde pigtails bouncing behind her, with the biggest smile on her face.

                She never turned to wave goodbye to her family, just stood at the bus stop oozing confidence. Another blonde came racing down the street, yelling something about how it's 'not cool for her to be walked to the bus by her parents.' Jenna had always been exuberant.

                Some older kids were there too, but I stood watching Marie lean against the stop sign. Another kid with the same color hair smiled at her, and she smiled back. But then she looked up, as if feeling my gaze, and she smiled at me too.

                Every morning since that day I would start my day with a smile toward Marie. The five of us sat together, had the same class, and even played together at recess.

                But then my grandmother died. She had been sick for a long time, but nobody told me that. One day she got the flu, the next she was gone. I didn't get to see Marie, Michael, Jenna, or Kara for the next little bit. I didn't even go to school. The funeral was bleak, and my family was depressed, and I tried to stay in bed forever.

                For some reason or other, we stayed a few nights at my grandmother's house. I slept in the same room I used to sleep in on the weekends under my grandmothers quilt. I distinctly remembered it smelling like her, and I remembered being so angry when my dad said there was someone at the door for me. I didn't want to, but I ripped off my blanket and went to see.

                When I came down the stairs I was tackled by a staggering hug from Marie, followed by Jenna and Kara. Michael, being the awkward kid he was, gave me a pat on the back. Marie looked like she had been crying, and I watched her face as she said something about sleeping at Michaels.

                And when we were leaving Marie turned on her heel, her blonde hair fanning out around her and smiled at me like the first day I met her.

                For some reason, those events floated into my mind now, nine years after the fact. We ended up moving into my grandmother's house so that I wouldn't have to change schools, and I could be with my friends.

                I got off the bus, thinking of these things, as Marie whipped around to say goodbye to Kara. Her hair fanned out just as it did then. Maybe that's why I thought of that moment.

                "Hey man," Michael said, putting his hand on my shoulder. "I would love to go meet Eli with you, but I have a chemistry lab I have to do."

                "I'll catch you at break then," I replied, still caught up in my thoughts. "I better go find him before he gets lost."