Ava's POV:
We spent the day at the abandoned amusement part and the night being screamed at by our parents.
It was worth it.
"Ava Makee!" My dad shouted. "We taught you better than to skip school with your b-b-boy...b-boyf-" dad still has a difficult time coping with the fact that I have a boyfriend. "Elijah!"
Mom stood in the corner of the room and shook her head. Not because of me but the man in front of me.
"Look." Mom steps up. Trevon is in the corner, eating popcorn. He loves watching me get in trouble. "We're happy that you found someone you like-"
"We? Don't you we this," dad said.
Mom glared at him before continuing, "But skipping school so you can go on a play date is not a good decision. You're grounded for the week. No going out unless it's for school or your job."
"Sounds fair," I said. I mean, I did skip school right in front of the teacher to play all day.
"That's it?" Trevon asks. "That's all she's getting?"
"Yeah. That's all she's getting?" Dad leaps into the same boat as Trevon.
It feels like they have a mutual bond over punishing me somehow.
"What else should she be getting?" Mom asks.
"I don't know? Maybe revoke her phone?" Trevon included.
"Or maybe, we should revoke her boyfriend," dad said. Somehow in his mind, that's possible.
"Why don't I just lock her up in the basement and board the room?" Mom said sarcastically.
"That feels a bit too harsh," dad said. "But, we can always lock her up in her room and board up her window just in case that kid tries to climb in." He looks at me, "I know he does. I just haven't caught him."
I place two hands in the air as a form of defeat. Eli does sneak into my room before, just through the front door. He said he's not a good climber. Sometimes, he sneaks into the bathroom downstairs and makes his way upstairs.
He stopped doing that when I suggested the idea of sleeping over with Trevon and Ben. He told me Ben is a light sleeper, but I told him Ben would decline because of Winnie. Of course, I didn't tell him about Winnie staying with Ben. Then, there's Trevon, who sleeps like a rock.
He got that from my dad.
Because of that suggestion, he stops sneaking through windows.
I couldn't stand watching him pathetically squeeze through spaces he shouldn't be squeezing into.
It was funny at first.
Now, it's just sad.
"Don't turn this into a bigger deal than it has to be. Are you going to tell me you didn't do that when you're younger?"
"Well, it's different," dad replies.
"And whatever you say next will sound sexist," mom said. "So, we'll all save our breaths." She looks at me, "One week."
I nod, "Alright."
"Family jury over. I'm going to go watch tv." Mom left the room.
Dad pouts, "I never get to do anything around here." He follows mom to the other room. His favorite show is on.
I look at Trevon, "Had a good show?"
He drops the popcorn into the bowl, "Not good enough. Waste of popcorn."
"Well, what were you expecting?"
"I don't know? You have to pick up all the leaves in the backyard?"
"I didn't sneak out to have sex."
Trevon's face turns red, "We did not!"
I nod, "Sure, you two didn't." I threw my body down on the couch and grabbed my phone.
"Mina and I didn't!"
"I said - sure." I scroll through my messages until I land on a particular name. Eli apologized for getting me into trouble, but he said he had no regrets.
"You're talking to him, aren't you?"
I replied to his message with an angry face. "No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are! You're doing it right now!"
"I'm not talking to him." I pressed send after I completed my message. "I'm messaging him." I peek past the screen to see Trevon's irritated face.
"If I knew you two were going to be this annoying when you date, I wouldn't have introduced you two."
"You didn't introduce us," I said. "We knew each other when we were younger."
"And who do you think introduced you two to each other?"
"Our parents?"
Trevon rolls his eyes, "They always take all the credits."
"You introduced us?"
He places the popcorn on the table, "Yeah."
Then, the curiosity sets in. "Can you tell me how we met?"
Trevon raises a brow, "Oh? What's in it for me?"
"Being a good reasonable brother?"
Trevon shook his head, "It doesn't sound like a good deal." He snapped his fingers, "How about this? You raked the leaves in the backyard for the week."
So that's the reason why he stays behind to watch. He wanted our parents to punish me by raking all the leaves in the backyard. I smack my lips, "Fine."
"Damn. You like him more than I thought."
I threw the pillow at Trevon's face.
"Do you want me to tell you or not?"
Of course, I want to know.
Trevon smirks when he notices my slight desperation. "Fine. I'll tell you."
It was late summer.
We were about to enter second grade.
***
"Mom! Mom!" I screamed. I rush downstairs, and with the last step, I leap down. "Mom! Where are my red shoes? I need it for my first day of school!"
Mom laughs, "I washed it. It's drying in the backyard."
I rush towards the backyard, and with a huff, I pull the glass door open to see a pair of red shoes hanging outside. I smile, "I found it!"
"That's good, hunnie!"
When I tugged on it, it was still wet. "Dry fast. I need you for school."
"Ava!" Dad shouted. When I turned around, Trevon was behind dad with a bicycle. "Let's go to the park."
"Why?" Trevon whined. "I thought it was going to be just us."
"Wait for me!" I rush towards the garage to get my bicycle. Once I buckled up my helmet, we all rode towards the park. One peddle after another. We run towards paradise.
When we came to a full stop, we locked out bikes. "Eli!" Trevon screamed.
"Who's Eli?" Dad asks.
"My friend from class." Trevon rushes towards the other side of the park.
I peek out from behind my bicycle to see a skinny shaped boy. Behind him were a few other boys. Dad huffed his breath before he turned his attention to me. "Do you want me to push you on the swings?"
I shook my head, "I'm almost in second grade. I can push myself." I rush towards the playground.
"Be careful!" Dad screamed.
When I got to the playground, I could feel the barks pushing into my shoes. I climb onto the swing and move forward. The wind rushed against my braided hair, and I smiled widely.
I close my eyes and allow the swing to move.
I love it.
This feeling.
The feeling that comes with flying.
When I opened my eyes, the upper half of my body leaned back, and I saw Trevon's friend, Eli, staring at me.
Without hesitation, a smile broke out on my face. My hair barely touches the barks, and I wave at him with one hand.
The wind blew again, and he smiled widely.
I jump off the swing and rush towards the group.
"What do you want?" Trevon asks. There were cards spread all over the cement. I remember those cards. Trevon begged our parents to get it for him.
"I want to play with you all too!" I don't understand what they're playing, but it looks fun. I look at Eli, and he smiles, showing off his missing front tooth. I smiled in return.
"No!" Trevon replied.
My smile drops, "Why not?"
"Because no girls are allowed!" Another guy replied.
"That's not fair," I rebuttal.
"Go away!" Another guy said. "You got cooties!"
I puffed up my cheeks and rushed towards my dad. I tugged his pants, and he looked away from the adults. He kneels, "What's wrong?"
"They won't let me play with them!" I point towards Trevon and his friends. "They said I have cooties!"
Dad exhales softly, "Sweetheart. You can play with your brother at home. Right now, he's playing with his friends."
The water gradually builds up in my eyes.
"Remember when you had tea time with your friends?"
I tighten my fists and nod.
"You closed the door and said: Girls only."
"But...But-"
"I'll go over there and tell them to play you later. How about going to play with that group over there? You like playing hide and seek with them."
I huffed a breath and walked away. Inside the giant turtle, I curled myself into a ball and kicked the bark. "No fair."
"Hey." I look up to see Eli crawling inside. He smiles softly, "Wanna play cards?" He held up his cards.
"You want to play with me?"
He nods.
"But I have cooties."
Eli laughs, "The girls say I have cooties too."
"You do?"
He nods, "We can have cooties together."
There's a funny feeling inside my tummy. "I don't understand what that means."
"Me either."
He hands me half the cards. "Do you know how to play?"
I shook my head, "No."
"Don't worry. I'll teach you." He spreads the cards. "I'm Elijah Wood. I just moved here. What's your name?"
I giggled, "I'm Ava Makee."
***
"So, yeah," Trevon said. He puffed his chest, "You two should thank your matchmaker."
"Wait. Let me get this straight. I wanted to play a stupid card game with you all, and you were generous enough to invite me. Then, you introduced me to Eli?"
He nods, "Yeah."
"Something sounds wrong."
"Which part?"
"All of them."
He grunted and stood up straight, "Believe it or not. It's up to you, but it's the truth."
"You're either lying, or your memories are completely detached from reality."
"Hey. We had a deal." He smirks, "And if you want to hear more memories about you and your boyfriend. You should be nicer to me." Trevon took one step after another while puffing up his chest. "I mean, who else can tell you all of this?"
"Eli?"
"If you wanted Eli to tell you. You would've already asked him."
My eyes narrow, "You've been hanging out too much with Winnie."
He shrugs, "She brings out the worst in me that I never knew existed." Trevon back away, "Have fun cleaning the leaves." He skipped his way upstairs.
I grab the bowl of popcorn and shove a handful into my mouth. "Stupid." I threw half of it back and picked up my phone.
One ring.
Two rings.
Three rings.
"Sup Av," said Shelbie. "What can I do for you?"
"Remember when I ask you about-"
"Luckless Lyah? Yes." She chuckles slowly, "I heard your brother is going out with her. Your parents may want to consider putting life insurance on his head."
I rolled my eyes, "Not funny."
"Man. Have a sense of humor." I can hear chips crunching in the background.
"Are you okay?" I ask.
"Yeah. I mean, why wouldn't I be?"
"I don't know? Maybe, it's because the last time we went out together, you left through the bathroom window?" There's also the fact that Shelbie had gained more than a few pounds, but I don't want to stab her wound.
"I'm fine. I mean, the guy I like keeps on being so fucking sweet to me even though I'm an utter bitch is taken by some ratched hoe with a horse face. It doesn't mean I'm not fine." She's stress eating again.
"Yeah. You sound good."
"Of course I do. I'm really good. But do you know what will be great? If the horse face fell off a cliff." I never knew Shelbie is the violent type when she's upset. "So, what's on your mind?"
"Trevon mentions something about Lyah's ex-boyfriend. Mind checking it out for me?"
"There's still someone stalking her even after they broke a bone?"
I ran my tongue across my cheek, "Yeah. I had the same thought."