“Yeah,” I lie through my teeth. Knowing either way I’m not staying here to hear her moans and the groans of Mr. Thursday. “What time is your date coming?” I find if I treat her job as though she is just going on a real date, my mother is more forthcoming with her information.
“Around five thirtyish.” She continues waltzing around the room lighting candles, setting the ‘mood.’ I’ll be gone by five just to be safe. “Is Becks going with you?” She narrows her eyes at me with a smirk.
“Yeah,” I lie not wanting her to worry. She doesn’t like me walking by myself at night. She says the streets aren’t safe for a young pretty girl at night. She is one to talk. But it isn’t like anything interesting ever happens around here. I think the most exciting news we have had in years was when a body turned up in the river. It only ended up here because of the current. The crime didn’t happen in our little town.
Taking my worn copy of Jane Eyre from my bag, I skim over my favorite passages. My mom goes back to doing whatever else she does to prepare.
~**~
I must have dozed off for a short while. My mom is nudging my shoulder gently and telling me I will be late for choir. After stretching and wiping the drool from the corner of my mouth, I grab my bag and throw my hoodie back on.
A few blocks over, I duck into Beans, a small coffee shop. I still have money left on the gift card Penny gave me for my Christmas so I splurge a little on a latte and a vanilla crème cheese Danish. When I get to the counter to order Raven greets me. I didn’t know she worked here. She gives me a weak smile and fills my order. I grab a seat by the window so I can people watch. I often wonder where people are rushing off to and imagine that they are leading these great lives, when in reality they are probably just as bored and lonely as I am.
I pull my journal out, jot down a few thoughts about life, and mainly scribble some doodles in the corners of the pages. I take my time savoring the warm vanilla latte and pick at my Danish like a bird. No need to rush. I have nowhere else to be for a while. Sometimes I make my way to the train station and walk along the tracks or I will sit on the benches and watch the birds while dreaming of someday catching a train of my own out of here. Not that I could ride the trains that pass through, they only haul coal.
I nearly jump out of my skin when a flattened palm smacks against the glass by my head. Looking up I see Aaron and Penny. As they make their way inside to my table, I shove my journal in my bag. Aaron is the kind of jerk who will swipe it and read it aloud if given the opportunity.
They grab the seats on the other side of me. Penny shivers and he wraps his arms around her hugging her tight. “It’s colder than a snowman’s balls out there,” Aaron jokes. I shake my head at him and Penny giggles.
“What are you guys up to?” I ask, Aaron normally has basketball practice and Penny says it always runs late.
“Not much, getting ready to go to dinner with my parents. Saw you in the window thought I’d kill some time. My dad had an emergency at the office. Who knows when we will get to eat? But you know how my mom is. Family dinner isn’t family dinner unless everyone is accounted for.” Penny rolls her eyes. Her dad is a copy editor for the local newspaper. What kind of emergency could he really have?
Aaron leans forward putting his elbows on the table. “You coming to my party with Penny Saturday night?” he has an amused grin planted on his face.
“What party?” I play dumb. I don’t want Penny to know Aaron already invited me. Penny will want to know when I talked to him without her.
Aaron winks at me knowing I just lied to my best friend.
“I’m having a thing; everyone who is anyone is going to be there. Other than that pumpkin headed douchebag you two hangout with.” Aaron looks back and forth between us. Penny smacks Aaron on the arm for dissing Beckett. Aaron is such a jackass.
“Well I would much rather hang with Beckett. I’m not everyone or anyone.” I stick my tongue out at him and grab my bag from the empty seat beside of me. My latte is cold and gross now.
Penny looks down at her phone. “We better get going too. My dad says he’ll be home in about fifteen minutes.” Aaron starts kissing her. It rather sickens me. He looks like he is trying to swallow half of her face. No, I definitely wouldn’t want him to ever to kiss my ‘frog lips.’
I leave Penny and Aaron to suck face.
Walking home, I am flabbergasted when I spy Penny’s dad leaving my house in a mad dash. Please God don’t tell me he is Mr. Thursday… After seeing him hop in his truck, I wait for as long as I can stand the cold, debating whether or not I want to broach the topic with my mom. Shivering, I decide I’d rather not know. I don’t want that sort of thing hanging over my head. The guilt of not knowing what to do with the information would be too much to bear. As I said before Penny has the perfect everything.
I debate sitting on the porch for a minute longer but then the wind blows making me cringe and shiver. The quicker I get inside the better. When I get inside the door, my mom is still in her room. I head straight to mine and gather up my things quickly to hop in the shower so I don’t have to face her yet. I hope that by the time I get out, I will have long forgotten seeing Mr. Thursday, possibly anyway.
Chapter 4
I was able to escape my mother last night. Shortly after I hopped in the shower, she cracked
the door open to the bathroom to tell me that she was headed out to go for a drink with Carla. Of course she was. She had been paid. She had booze money. I wouldn’t call her an alcoholic but she likes to have a good time. I was dead asleep whenever she found her way home. She is still sleeping now, as I get ready for school. Shimmying into my jeans quickly, I stub my toe on my dresser but bite my tongue. I don’t want to wake my mom. I know it’s horrible of me but I try to avoid her at all cost if I can.
I go to fix my usual bowl of cereal and there isn’t any more milk. I could have sworn there was a half-gallon left yesterday. Checking my wallet I have fifteen dollars, I have enough money to grab a chicken biscuit from the Grab ‘N Go. Taking my phone out I start to text a message to Becks to let him know to go on without me, when my phone buzzes.
It’s Becks. “Hey,” I answer wondering why he is calling me so early.
”I have a dentist appointment this morning so I will be checking in late. I don’t know if I will be at lunch.”
“Okay cool, catch ya later.” Becks is supposed to be getting his braces off soon. He has had them all through high school, so I know he is excited to have them come off.
Closing the door quietly I lock it behind me and I wave to Mrs. Jennings as she salts her sidewalk and steps. Taking my knit cap from my bag, I pull it down tight around my ears and pull my hood up as well. The air has a bone-chilling feel this morning. I close the latch on the gate going through my usual routine until I get to the street I normally meet Becks on, I go the opposite direction to the Grab ‘N Go.
Once inside I splurge on an orange juice to go with my chicken biscuit. They don’t really have much of a selection to choose from but they have fantastic biscuits. It’s really warm in here; I dread going back into the cold and walking the rest of the way to school. I grab a seat in one of the booths designated for those who are dining in. I pull my notes out from History class and give them a once over. Mr. Lowe is notorious for Friday pop quizzes.