Annie was grinning her silly, beautiful little girl smile. She was not going to make it easy for me to get out of the belts I was tied up in. I up at the opening as the music started playing. At the entrance of the "tent", I saw Macy's blond hair as she came crawling in. I looked at Annie, again, who was settling in as the movie was starting.
"Annie, I really need you to untie me," I pleaded. She smiled and looked over at Macy.
"Macy, the prisoner wants to be freed. What do you think he needs to do to earn his freedom?" She was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Of course, Annie was going to make this as dramatic as possible.
"I don't know, he could get us some snacks to eat while we watch the movie." Great, now I was going to be a waiter.
"Pizza's being ordered. You don't need snacks to fill up on." I said, trying to worm my way out of being snack boy. Annie tapped her fingers against her chin like she was thinking pretty hard, but I knew better. She already had a plan formed.
"Well then, you have to say who the best sister in the world is, and who other best person in the world is." Annie was begging for flattery.
"Fine. Annie is the most wonderful sister in the entire world and nobody could ever top how amazing she is. Her best friend Macy, is the best person in the world right up there with Annie." I said, dripping with the most sarcasm could muster still being tied up with pink and yellow belts. "They are so equally amazing nobody no how could ever stand a chance at dethroning them and they're super awesome amazing kids," I continued, as Annie smiled smugly.
"That will do, I guess." Anne gave in. I was untied.
"Okay girls, I have to go change. I'll see you later. Or maybe tomorrow," I said, crawling out of the tent.
I started up the stairs. How funny those two girls were when they were together. I noticed it was starting to get dark out. There was about an hour and a half until the sun went down. I grabbed my gym shorts and a new tee-shirt to change into. I showered quickly as I hadn't bathed in over 24 hours, and wanted to wash last night off me. I was going to go run around and get sweaty, but at least I wouldn't start smelling bad especially because Alex's was bringing a few of her friends and a couple were pretty good-looking. Once out I quickly dressed and went back to my room. I started putting my shoes on, and caught sight of the box containing the cell phone. I grabbed the box and looked at the phone. There was no missed calls. I relaxed.
I stood up, debating whether I wanted to bring the phone with me to play ball. If i brought it and it rang and I answered it in front of everyone, they would ask start asking questions I could not answer. If I left it here and I missed their call would they actually hurt my family because I left it here. I figured it was best to leave it here because I would rather not have to make up something to explain to everyone, and I could just say that I forgot to take it. It sounded reasonable to me. I headed down the stairs, I should really leave or I would be late. I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge and started heading out the front door.
"See you later girls...." I said, unlocking the door.
"Bye Max!" Annie shouted as I tried opening the door.
The door wouldn't move. I pulled again, but it was stuck. I shook the door handle furiously. I must have slammed the door shut when I came home in a way that wedged the door into the frame. I glared up at the ceiling, frustrated at the fact I couldn't get the door open. I once again grabbed onto the door handle gripping it tightly with both hands and forcefully yanked as hard as I could until the door finally gave popped open. I stumbled back slightly, trying to balance myself so I didn't fall.
I walked out onto the front steps closing the door behind me. I made sure it was locked. I was nervous someone might try to just walk in or worse. Glancing around, I was feeling uneasy, but I didn't see anything out of the ordinary. I felt something was definitely off. Maybe I was just acting paranoid about everything that had happened yesterday, but I had the distinct feeling I was being watched and/or followed.
Speed walking as quickly as I could in the direction of the park. I was walking so fast that I was getting some weird looks. I wanted to run, but I was afraid if was being watched and followed that they would think I was running away. This is one of those time I really wished I had a car. Unfortunately, my parents couldn't afford me to buy me one and I didn't have a job to save up for one, either.
Arriving at the park, I felt a sense of relief wash over me as I could see Jeff chasing Alex who had the basketball clutched to her stomach. I slowed my pace slightly as I didn't feel as frightened anymore. I realized how ridiculous I was acting. I had looked around while I was at my house and didn't see anybody or anything. These stupid vampires, which I still wasn't sure I was a 100% I hadn't gone mental about, and just imagined the giant Bobby with fangs.
"Max!" Alex called, the second I stepped on to the court "Save me!" she said. She ran toward me and hid behind me, as I looked at Jeff running at me, looking kind of crazy.
"Yeah no," I said, grabbing her arms and holding her as Jeff got closer, grinning.
"Max! No!" She screamed, yelling. "Let me go!" She said ,trying to pull free. "Please Max, let me go! Alex said, as Jeff stood there smirking at us.
"Sorry Alex." Jeff picked her up and she dropped the ball. I grabbed it, of course.
"I hate you Max! You'll be sorry!" Alex yelped, as Jeff carried her back to the picnic table under the a tree next to the hoop.
"I'm so scared Alex!" I mocked, dribbling the ball behind them.
Taking my time practicing some of my more fancy moves, I could hear Alex erupting in shrill laughter. When I got within a reasonable distance to the hoop I took a shot. Which I missed. I was startled by laughter behind me. Mack was grinning like a smug baboon as he approached. I flipped him off, irritated. Mack was actually was on the basketball team, which meant he was probably a bit better than us, or at least he thought so. But just because he was on the team, didn't mean he was the best of players.
"Wow, pretty weak man, can't even make a simple shot, this is going to be a simple game," he said smugly as I passed the ball at him forcefully. "Oh, someone's got their granny panties in a twist!"
"Let's just play the game Mack," I said, slightly irritated.
"Whatever." he replied, passing the ball back to me with about the same amount of force. "The princess can go first."
I started dribbling, moving quickly toward the hoop. Mack tried blocking me as I moved quickly back and forth, trying to get closer and around him to make the shot. Jeff and Alex were off doing whatever it is they do. I pretty much ignored them when they got all mushy with each other. I tried turning after I faked going to opposite direction, but Mack was able to knock the ball out of my hands dribbling as he backed away. We both played for a while until some of Alex's friends showed up. Of course. Mack called for a break as we headed over to the table where everyone was sitting. As I walked over grabbing a water bottle and sat down next to Jeff.
Alex beside him. Her friend sat across from us and Max next tot them. Now, let me make it clear: I like girls. Even a few of Alex's friends were pretty hot and I would consider dating them. But the two girls who showed up tonight were a couple of the girls I didn't care for very much. They just seemed to irritate me every time they spoke. There voices were like irritating squeaking noises. Mack didn't seem to mind too much, but he just liked any girl's attention and wasn't picky. I pretended to be interested in the conversation but was beyond bored. Suddenly, I felt Jeff elbow me.
"We could go hang somewhere else if you want," he said. "You seem a little off."
"Yeah just tired, long night I guess," I said, not looking up at him. "Oh, oh, right! You stayed at Luke's house, right?" he said, jumping up and trying to hang off the hoop.
"Yeah." I stated as simply as possible, hoping he would get the hint I wasn't interested in talking about it.
"I bet he lives in a mansion. That kid seems loaded," I rolled my eyes, Luke's house would dwarf any mansion I had ever seen before.
"Yeah, he's got a nice house, I guess." I replied dribbling the ball around.
"You guess, his mansion not impressive enough? Jeff said, in a kind of girlie voice? Is Max a snob?"
"No, it just wasn't that much fun," I threw the ball at him, almost smacking him in the face. Jeff laughed, taken off guard.
"Aww, did little old Max not get to play with Luke the way he wanted to?" Jeff mocked, cracking up as I glared at him. I really felt like punching him right in the face, where the ball had missed. "Oh chill, Max. I bet he had tons of video games and junk food.
"Yeah, he got basically every game imaginable. Its just that he had some other friends over and it was weird. I didn't feel like I really belonged there." I tried to explain.
"Yeah, being the only non-rich kid in a room full of spoiled brats would be a bit weird." Jeff agreed. He seemed to understand what I was making up. "Play, Max!"
Jeff started dribbling the ball moving swiftly back and forth, quickly turning in the opposite direction, finally taking a shot. He laughed, and I heard Alex cheering from the benches. I quickly grabbed the ball and ran with it down to the half court line. I turn to make my way back toward the hoop. Jeff was watching to see what I was going to do. I notice he looked away from me. I figured he was just trying to distract me, and I took the shot.
The ball went in the hoop. Jeff caught it before it even hit the ground. He didn't look to happy. In fact, he looked kind of ticked off. I was surprised because normally he wasn't too competitive when it came to playing basketball because Mack normally won anyway. About that time, I got this weird, uneasy feeling creeping up my spine. Everyone at the table was sitting and staring at me, but not really at me, more like behind me. I also noticed Mack looked a little off, just like Jeff had. I turned around slowly because I was unsure of what they were looking at, and hopefully it wasn't someone who was looking for a fight. In truth I should have just not looked it would have been better, because once I turned around, there, standing on the edge of the court, stood the giant Bobby. He was smirking and his arms crossed. I was instantly angry. I wish I had the ball in my hands so I could throw it at him. I realized he followed me.
"What are you doing here?" I said, trying to control my anger that he was even here.
"You left your phone at Luke's. I came to give it back, but your parents said you were out. Was driving by and happened to see you." he shrugged. He pulled the cell phone out of his pocket, which meant he had gone into my house to get it.
"When did you get a phone?" Jeff asked, kind of surprised.
"Yesterday. My parents just got it for me as a kind of emergency thing," I lied through gritted teeth, walking towards Bobby, quickly snatching it out of his hand.
"Thanks," I said, staring him down, then quickly walking away with it.
"Could you use an extra player?" I heard Bobby ask Jeff and Mack.
"Yeah. We could play two-on-two, instead of taking turns. Hey, I'm Mack," they were walking toward each other.
"I'm Bobby," he said, and now they were all shaking hands.
"That's Jeff and you already know Max," Mack said, glancing at me, as if in silent request for me to elaborate how I knew the giant, who stood at least a foot over everyone there.
"He's one of Luke's friends I met yesterday," I explained, wishing he would just disappear.
"Oh, you know Luke?" Jeff asked, bouncing the ball a few times.
"Our families are old friends." Bobby said, winking at me. I felt like my blood was on fire and freezing at the same time.
"Can we play?" I was getting stressed out that he would say something that could make things go really wrong.
"Yeah, me and Jeff will be skins and you can be on Max's team," Mack said.
Mack was a player and any chance he got to show off his muscles he would. Of course, his muscles were kind of on the small side. I stood there laughing. Suddenly, the phone vibrated in my pocket. I glanced around quickly as Jeff was passing the ball to Bobby, who was doing similar tricks while he dribbled, like Jeff had done. I pulled the phone out of my pocket after it stopped vibrating. I had a voicemail, and I listened to it. Of course, it was from Luke. I wanted to throw the phone on the ground then and stomp on it till there was nothing left. However, everyone here thinks my parents just gave it to me, so doing that would just get me a lot of unnecessary gossip and attention I did not need especially. Especially with this giant vampire here.
"Max take the phone with you when you're out, we need to talk tomorrow. Bobby knows where and when." The voicemail said simply. Not even, Hi, how are you, this is Luke... just barking orders....
"Earth to Max, are we going to play?" Jeff called out to me.
"Yeah let's play!" I said, shoving the phone back into my pocket. Bobby was grinning from ear-to-ear.