Cherry Bomb

Talk To Me

Fourth of July 2011

Andrew laid back on his bed, looking up at his cellphone. He stared at the screen which contained a small picture of him and Ryan. Ryan was smiling, acting as nothing happened, especially since that day at the pool. Yet, Andrew couldn't shake this feeling from his lips, the wonderful sensation of Ryan kissing him. It was a strange and alluring presence that lingered in the back of his mind. Andrew put down the cell phone, ever since he was brought home from the jail by his mother, both his mother and step-father have insisted that he should stop seeing these boys.

The cellphone pinged and Andrew looked over, it was a text from Ryan. He began to feel his heart flutter with excitement, wondering what message laid inside the text. He pressed the button to open the message.

Ryan: I've been thinking about you. I'm sorry I kissed you. Things between me and Scott haven't been for the best.

Andrew read the message over and over again. He pressed a few more buttons before sending a message of his own.

Andrew: I liked it. Weird for me to say. But it felt good. I'm sorry about you and Scott. Hopefully, you guys can patch it up.

Andrew flung the phone back to the bed. He didn't bother turning around waiting for the text. He remembered that Scott said he and Ryan were dating, but Andrew felt as if it was a one-sided relationship. A large vibration from the cellphone meant someone was calling him. He picked up the phone and saw that Ryan was calling him. Should he answer? Andrew let out a sigh and then pressed enter to accept the call coming in.

"What do you want?" Andrew asked.

"Now that's no way to treat someone calling you to see if you can meet up," Ryan teased. Andrew let out a soft blush on the other side of the phone, glad that Ryan couldn't see how bad he was affecting him.

"I'm sorry. Let me start from the beginning, may I ask why you are calling?"

"Yeah, I'm here as your knight in shining armor. I've come to rescue you from the gilded cage that is your bland and boring bedroom." Andrew pulled the phone away from his ear and looked over at the blinds, he slowly crept and walked towards the window and pulled back one of the blinds, Ryan was standing there with the phone in his hands. Andrew peered over and saw an old red mustang. The paint was peeling and some of the spots on the car no longer had wax to keep the paint on. Ryan flashed his keys. Andrew quickly ended the call and ran to his bedroom door, he opened slowly to take a look and see if anyone was outside the hallway. He closed the door and grabbed some pants, pulled on a shirt from the floor, and ran out towards the front door. The leather jacket from his father still hung on the back of his bedroom door.

Andrew staggered as he tried to put his sandals on his feet. The final test came when he saw the front door and the lock. He didn't have a key, and there was none in the key bowl. But Andrew remembered that there was a hidden key in the flower pot by the garage, buried deep in the back of the soil. Andrew took the bolt and slowly moved it to the left, hearing the click. He took one shaky breath as the house didn't stir or move in the wake of the door unlocking. Tiffany was still asleep in the bed. Both his mom and step-father were out at work and wouldn't be home until late at night. It was the Fourth of July weekend. Both parents would be working overtime because there would be people who do stupid things with fireworks. Andrew heard enough at the dinner table what would happen if he ever tried the same thing.

Andrew slunk out of the house and then bumped into Ryan, who looked at him with curiosity. Andrew held a finger to his lips and then hurried towards the front of the garage, digging his fingers deep into the pot before coming out with a small silver key. He dashed towards the front door and locked it, then ran back to the pot and put the key back.