June 13th, 1962
"Sis, wake up. The boys want all of us to go to the sandlot and play, even Jordan."
"I'm tired and so is Jordan."
"Jordan is already up and ready. He's waiting on you."
"Let me braid my hair and then I'll start getting ready."
"Okay."
I get up and stretch, my arms aching for some reason. I walk over to my vanity and brush my hair out and then start braiding my hair. Jordan walks in and watches me braid my hair.
"Can you do that to my hair?"
"I can try to Dutch braid it."
"Right now?"
"After we go to the sandlot."
"Okay."
I get finished braiding my hair and then we head to the sandlot after grabbing a few pieces of Bacon. The whole walk there I can tell that Jordan is scared and confused about the boys wanting him there.
"So, why do they want me to come?"
"Maybe they want some challenge."
"I doubt it, they'll probably kill me."
"Maybe they will start being nice to you, who knows?"
"Hopefully."
"Yeah, hopefully." I kiss his cheek and we walk into the sandlot. All the boys are sitting in the dugout, probably waiting on us. Once we walk into the dugout they all stand up and smile. I sit in the dugout and let the boys play for a while and Sarah sits picking at her nails.
"I really wish you wouldn't hate me so much. I know I'm an ass but you really don't even know me. You just instantly started hating me and then it pissed me off."
"I don't hate you, I just don't like you. Benny told me that he liked you when we first started being friends and I liked him so I got jealous. It was really rude of me to just assume you were in love with him and then I started seeing you with Jordan and I felt as if you were using him. I still don't forgive you for hitting me."
"Yeah, I'm sorry about that."
"No, it's fine. I deserved it."
"Hey Bella! Come hit."
"Well, baseball is calling me." We laugh and I walk to the hitting box.
"Ready?"
"Give me your best."
"You have asked for it Smalls."
He pitches the ball and I hear the ball hit the bat so I run. I get to second and all the boys are running over to something on the ground. I run over and see the ball unwrapped, this cannot be happening.
"Holy crap! You just unraveled the ball." Squints smiles and pats me on the back
"I did, didn't I?" I laugh but the boys don't seem to find it funny. Realization hits the and they all get mad other than Jordan who still looks astonished.
"We can't play no more!"
"Oh you've done it now, Bella."
"Guys! Guys! We can just buy a new ball tomorrow."
"Whos' gonna pay for it?"
"Isabella should."
"No, I will. I have extra money and I have no use for it." Squints says and Bertram looks at him like he has three heads.
"I'll go with you, I need to buy gum." Yeah-Yeah says
"Well, I guess we better get home then. We have nothing better to do now. Everyone be here at eight o'clock." Benny claps and we all walk to the dugout. We grab our things and once we get to our street there are only five of us- Me, Jordan, Scotty, Benny, and Sarah.
"Bye Sarah."
"Bye." All three of the boys look at me like I'm crazy and I just wave it off. We continue to walk to my house and Jordan tackles me to the ground when we get to my yard.
"What?"
"You figured everything out!"
"We aren't technically friends but we did make up."
"I am so proud of you." He connects our lips and Scotty groans.
"Get used to it."
"I don't think I ever will."
"You're just jealous you don't have anyone to kiss."
"You're crazy."
"Maybe." I shrug and get up. We walk into the house and mom is standing by the window looking out it but once she realizes we came in she looks at the ceiling and hums.
"Mom, they were kissing."
"Oh I'm sure she knows." I laugh and she just giggles.
"Why are you all home so early?"
"Isabella unraveled a ball and the boys said that we would get one tomorrow."
"Oh, alright. Good job, Bear." My smile falters when she says the nickname. Bear. She hasn't called me that in years, ever since my dad died actually. I think she realizes what she said because she turns around and looks at me through glossy eyes. Scotty pauses and looks at me with sympathy while Jordan just looks confused.
"Well, we're gonna go find something to do." I smile at her and turn around. I walk into the living room expecting it to be empty but I see Mya sitting on it.
"Belle!" She runs and jumps into my arms like she always does and mom comes into the living room.
"Hi Mya." I kiss her forehead and she lightly pecks my nose. She is just so adorable.
"I have missed you so much."
"How much?"
"Dis much." She holds her arms out and giggles.
"That is so much." I sit her down and send mom a questioning glance.
"Mya here will be staying with us until her parents get back from vacation. I actually work with her mom and with everything going on, she asked me to watch her."
"Cool!"
Mya jumps up and hugs Jordan the best she can. He picks her up and she snuggles her head into his neck. He looks like he might cry but he holds together and me, Scotty, Jordan, and Mya sit down on the couch but Mya is in Jordan's lap, of course.
Jordan holds my hand and lays our intertwined hands on his thigh. Mya senses he isn't holding her with both arms and looks down. She sees our hands and cover her mouth, she looks up at me and smiles. She carefully climbs out of his arms and into mine and it doesn't take long for her to fall asleep.
"She is always tired, isn't she?"
"She doesn't sleep well most nights because her older brother. He is the loudest person I have ever met in my life and he always has friends over. Most Sundays he is away at band practice or even gigs is what he calls them."
"Oh."
"Yeah, I don't know why but when she's with you she instantly falls asleep. Most of the time."
"That's sweet."
Mom walks into the room and starts to talk but stops when she sees Mya.
"Dinner is ready." She whispers and we all nod. Scotty runs to the kitchen and I rub Mya's back a little.
"Mya, dinner is ready. Do you wanna go eat?"
"No, I'm sleepy."
"Come on, I'll go lay you down." I walk to my room and gently lay her in my bed. I wrap the blankets around her and kiss her forehead. I turn on my lamp that is on my nightstand and walk out of my room. As I'm slowly closing the door I stub my toe and cuss but hopefully no one heard me.
For dinner mom made cheeseburgers, fries, and carrots. The carrots did not make sense but she said she needed to add something healthy to dinner. We sat in silence and ate but Bill walked in and then everyone striked a conversation.
Jordan started talking to Scotty about lord knows what and I talk to mom about baseball because she asked about earlier today. I even told her about the whole Sarah situation and how I punched her. Mom wasn't so fond of me punching her but I told her about what all she had said.
"Well, she got what she deserved. As long as you guys are okay now."
"Oh yeah, we made up."
"Good. Wanna know what this man from work told me today?"
"Yes."
"He told me that Jenna got pregnant with Tom's baby! They aren't making it public right now but sooner or later, that bump is gonna be showing." Jenna is moms manager and Tom is a cashier at the grocery store. She talks about them all the time and how she thinks they are secretly together so obviously, this has proven her right.
"You are kidding me."
"Nope, he told me that the only way he figured it out was that he overheard them talking about it."
"Oh my, wow. That is just crazy."
"I know and Jenna denies it and says she wants to wait."
"On what?"
"No idea."
"Hey Honey." Bill leans down and kisses mom on the forehead and smiles at the rest of us.
"Hey sweetie, how was work?"
"Oh, the usual. They're saying something about how I'm gonna have to leave sooner than we thought so lord knows when they'll make me leave."
"Oh, that's terrible."
"Yeah, food smells amazing."
"Thank you." He walks to the kitchen and comes back into the dining room, holding a carrot.
"Why in the hell do we have carrots with burgers and fries?"
"I needed to put something healthy with it."
"Oh good lord, I am so sorry." He walks back into the kitchen and puts his food together before coming back into the dining room.
"What?"
"I cussed. Where do I sit?"
"You can sit here, I'm done with my food." I stand up and walk to the kitchen putting my plate in the sink and washing the dirty dishes.
"Do you always wash the dishes?"
"Sometimes, yeah."
He wraps his arms around my stomach and lays his head in the crook of my neck. He kisses it once and then starts making his way up. I lean my neck over for better access. He continues to kiss my neck before I can feel a sound coming out of my mouth. I quickly turn around, grab his face gently and kiss him. He pinches my stomach and I open my mouth but before I can protest he slides his tongue into my mouth. I put my hands over his shoulders and play with the ends of his hair. He puts his hands on both sides of my stomach and just holds me. We quickly retreat from each other when we hear footsteps.
I turn back around and quickly grab a cup and start washing it. Jordan stands beside me and acts like he is rinsing the dishes. We glance over at each other and quietly giggle. Bill walks over to us and hands me the dish, thanking me.
As soon as he walks out of the kitchen I attach my lips to Jordan's lips again. His lips are soft and I never want to stop kissing him. I swipe my tongue on his bottom lip and he opens his mouth. I slide my tongue in his mouth and we kiss for a good five minutes before we hear Mya squeal. She comes running into the kitchen with Scotty trailing behind her with a play Barbie in his hand.
Me and Jordan watch as they play until they leave and we continue to wash the dishes. We get done shortly and go into the bathroom to wash his hair. I grab hair ties and we go to my room. He sits in the floor and I sit on my bed. I part his hair and start Dutch braiding it. I have never realized how long his hair was until now.
"What's something you're passionate about but no one knows about it?" Jordan asks me and I look up, thinking about it
"The rain or the solar system."
"Why?"
"The rain is one of my favorite things, It always helps me think. I don't know why but I have always loved the rain. Every time It rains I always want to go outside and play but I would look like a fool by myself. It just sort of has this demeanor and it makes me feel safe. The Solar System or the Stars and Moon have always been a safe place for me too. They are just so beautiful and even though the stars are just little balls of gas, they have so much importance."
"Wow."
"Sorry, um what are you passionate about?"
"I like to read. No one knows that because normally I'm playing Baseball but when no one's around I read. Books take me to some other reality and sometimes I go as far as wanting to somehow shift over to that reality. Books make me happy and they just help me."
"Wow."
"You must think I'm a nerd."
"No, no. Reading is fun and I like it, I'm just always busy and when I'm not I sort of just forget that I like to read."
"I understand."
"If you could change your name, what would it be?"
"Probably Matthew, maybe. What would you change yours to?"
"Nova, It means chasing Butterflies and Butterflies are just so beautiful."
"Is that your favorite insect?"
"Sort of, and fireflies. What's yours?"
"June Beetles. I don't even know why either, I've just always liked them."
"Why have I never learned this? We've been dating for a while and we haven't even learned certain stuff."
"Like what?"
"What's your favorite subject in school? What is your favorite book? What's the most embarrassing thing you've ever done?"
"I love English, The Invisible Man, and I once faceplanted in the front of the class and broke my nose."
"Really?"
"Yeah, It sucked. What's something you've always wanted to do?"
"I've always wanted to feel real love. I mean, It sounds stupid but I have only ever dated one person not counting you and he never really made effort to show he loved me. Now I know what love feels like so I have basically accomplished it, with you. I've also wanted to see a real sea turtle though, what about you?" I did not mean to go into detail, he's going to think I'm weird.
"I've always wanted to sleep on a roof or something where I can just look at the sky all night. I have my balcony and everything but It just doesn't show the entire sky."
"When we get done with your hair, I have an idea."
"I don't think you realize that I can read you like a book. I can sense when you want something or when you think a certain thing. I have never been able to do that with anyone else, but you. I liked what you said, honestly. I love you, a lot and I like when you talk about things you admire. It just makes me happy seeing you like that."
"I love you too." I smile even though he can't see me. "Okay, I'm done. Grab blankets out of my closet and my hoodie. I'll get pillows." I open my window and climb out of it with two pillows in my arms. I climb back in and grab the blankets Jordan hands me and I set up a little bed.
He comes on the roof and hands me the hoodie he gave me, I put it on and we cuddle up to each other. The stars are just coming out so we're sort of just staring at nothing.
"Thank you for this, I don't know what I would do without you."
"Oh, don't thank me. I come out here a lot but I only ever bring a blanket."
"It gets pretty cold, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, It does."
After a while of just laying on the roof and having small talk we both fall asleep. The stars had been out for a good amount of time and I could tell Jordan was enjoying it.
DRIP
DRIP
What the heck?
DRIP
I sit up and rub my eyes. It's pitch black out and it's silent. The drips keep getting harder and I realize it's sprinkling.
"Jordan, It's raining."
"What?"
"Come on, It's raining."
"Jesus."
We climb into the house quickly and throw everything on my bed. I climb back out my window to make sure we got everything and let me tell you, It starts pouring down.
"Jesus Christ."