Lakeside

Rejected

POV Change: Rick Thompson

At around ten after we'd been banished to the downstairs David, Ryan, Alice and I started playing euchre. At ten thirty Alice decided she was tired, tired of losing to Ryan and I! Us guys weren't ready to turn in for the night so I suggested we invite Ben to come play a game. Because I suggested it I decided that I should go get him. I set my beer down on the table out back and walked around the pine tree to the Matthews yard. The house sounded fairly quiet but I was fairly sure he was awake. I walked up the steps to the back door and knocked. Seconds later Delilah answered.

"What?" She snapped.

"Oh, I'm sorry Mrs. M, but is Ben around we're playing euchre out back and we need another player." I chuckled and scratched the back of my neck.

"No." Delilah wouldn't budge.

I was confused so I thought I'd try a different approach.

"Could you ask him if he wants to play?" I questioned.

"No!" She glared and shut the door in my face.

I didn't really understand what was going on but if I know Ben at all he would want to play with us. I suddenly got an idea, I tiptoed up the steps outside and snuck into the front door and found him watching football.

"Hey Ben, a few of us are down by the lake playing euchre want to-" Before I could finish inviting him he stopped me.
"No. Get out." He grunted with a slight look of sympathy in his eyes.

"What?" I replied as I stepped back.

"You have three seconds to get out Rick." Ben narrowed his eyes at me. I never knew him to be the aggressive type, except for wrestling anyway. I didn't want to mess with a state champ so I gave him a look of confusion and exited the Matthews' house. I didn't tell David and Ryan what happened, I just told them he didn't want to play. I'm not really sure why I kept it a secrets, I mean what's the difference either way he didn't want to play. The euchre game was a no-go, the guys and I decided to go to bed; no use in staying up if we weren't doing anything.

I changed into my pajamas, brushed my teeth then laid on my bed. An instant replay of what had happened over at the Matthews kept running through my head. Delilah had never snapped at me like that before, ever, and she's known me since I was born. I'm not really sure why but I kind of felt rejected by them, by my second family. After about an hour of thinking I grew tired and eventually fell asleep.

POV Change: Ben Thompson

When Rick came in the house and started to ask me to come play I wanted to, I really, really wanted to, but I couldn't. I had to follow Mom's instructions, she seemed pretty ticked and I didn't want her to be ticked at me. I felt bad though, Mom said not to talk to them, be the don't have any idea of what's going on, I wonder why?

POV Change: David Baker

As soon as Rick came back from the Matthews Ryan and I knew something was up. I could tell he didn't know what was going on, that's just Rick though. I really can't believe Ben turned down euchre I mean I've known been for a few years now and he has not once turned down a game. Something was definitely wrong over there, and I was going to find out what.

Because Rick, Ryan and I didn't have another euchre player we decided to go to bed. I contemplated whether or not finding out what was going on could wait until tomorrow, I fell asleep before I could concur with myself. Unfortunately right as I began sleeping Ethan woke up and started crying; Alice then nudged me to go get him. I didn't get to sleep for another hour, but when I did I began dreaming, finally.

I got woken up by Ethan one other time though I didn't mind because it was seven thirty, it's automatically a good day when he sleeps until seven thirty. I took Ethan upstairs and Mrs. Thompson said she could watch him so I went back downstairs.

Because I was a little suspicious of the way Ben declined a euchre game I decided to inquire some information about Rick's conversation with him. I found him sitting up in his bed reading a book, "Hey Rick, so I think something's going on with the Matthews'. I mean seriously, Ben NEVER turns down a euchre game. Can you tell me what happened yesterday?"

"Well I went over to the Matthews' and knocked on the door and Delilah answered and..."

The new-found information about the Matthews' made me nervous and even more curious than I was before. I chose to go to the obvious root of all information, Trudy Thompson; she basically knows everything. I closed the conversation with Rick and went on a quest to find Mrs. T. It wasn't really much of a quest, I simply walked back up the stairs and found her in the living room playing with Ethan.

"Mrs. Thompson, can I asked you something?" I asked timidly.

"Sure Dave, what is it?" She seemed to be intrigued.

"What's going on with the Matthews?" I inquired after telling her the whole story of last night.

She glared up at me, almost like she wasn't expecting it, instantly she stood up and started whispering."Okay here's what's going on..." Trudy continued until I understood why the Matthews weren't our friends anymore.

Apparently Charlie owes Vernon a bunch of money and Charlie hasn't forked over a cent. Wow, and to think I thought Charlie was super cool. Either way the Thompson's are my family now and one way or another Vernon was going to get his money. Once again I went downstairs only this time it was to devise a plan amongst the Matthews, Rick, Ryan, Alice, Alex, and even the younger girls were about to be involved. We practically have this in the bag.