open door I just fell out of. Throughout the entire conversation, as one-sided as it looks, Blake is smiling. I wonder what he’s saying to him. I can’t imagine Hank is enjoying it. His face is a deep shade of red right now.
Slamming the door shut, Hank storms to the driver’s side of the car, gets in, and burns rubber. Standing as Blake approaches, I shoot him a curious look.
“He won’t be bothering you anymore. I promise,” he says in an attempt to explain what just happened.
“What did you say?” I inquire as I follow Blake into the house and up to his room. When he doesn’t respond, I start to worry things will be awkward in English class after I get back from break. The last thing I need is people to start talking about me. Nothing good ever comes from rumors.
Only one rumor has ever gone around this school about me, and Blake squashed it the day I heard about it. It was about me and him dating. Obviously, it wasn’t true. His word, for some reason, carried clout that mine didn’t when I denied it to the girl who asked me. Her snarky response irritated me more than anything. She didn’t know anything about me, yet she thought I was lying to her.
Closing the door behind us and plopping down on a bean bag in the corner, Blake finally answers me, “I told him you were dating my roommate and if he tried to hit on you again, he would be in for a rude awakening.”
“What! Why?” The words fly out of my mouth before I have a chance to filter myself. I don’t really care that he lied to Hank, and I don’t really care why. I wasn’t interested in him anyway.
“From where I was standing, it looked like you wanted out of that car and he was holding you hostage. I thought I was helping.”
“You did. Thank you.” I take a seat on the bean bag next to him and let the conversation fade away. Eventually, Blake picks up a controller and hands it to me, turning on his Nintendo.
We spend the next few hours battling over fire flowers and extra lives. Nothing more is said about Hank or the situation. I hear Mrs. Collins call up to me, letting me know Alice called to say dinner was ready. I say goodbye to Blake, but before I leave, he wraps me in a hug one last time.
“I’m so glad you’re home,” I say.
“Me too. I missed you, Charlie. You have no idea.”
Pulling back, I see the look on his face matches the sincerity in his voice. His eyes tell a different story, though. If Alice weren’t waiting on me, I’d probe him for answers. Tomorrow. Tomorrow he’ll have to come clean about what’s really going on with him. The clothes. The hair. Especially the way he’s been acting.
Promptly at nine o’clock the next morning, Blake is knocking on my door. Eager to get on the road, he pulls me down the porch steps and ushers me into the front seat of the car without even saying hello.
“What’s the rush?”
“No rush. I’m just excited to show you what I bought you for Christmas.”
“Christmas isn’t for another four days. I haven’t even bought your gift yet.”
“You don’t have to buy me anything.”
“Um, yeah, I do. Especially if you got me something. Duh!” As if I wouldn’t get him something regardless.
Turning up the radio, Blake ends our conversation without responding. He’s a man on a mission, and to be honest, I’m getting rather excited to see what he bought me. I’ve never had anyone aside from family buy me anything for Christmas. Now that my Aunt isn’t around, I was assuming only Alice and Scott would buy me something. I think of them as my family now, and I guess Blake is like family, too. I didn’t really think he would get me a gift, though.
As Blake slows and begins to parallel park, I take in our surroundings. We’re in front of a small strip mall on the outskirts of town. I can see a cafe and a furniture store from where he’s parking. I can’t imagine either of those places being our destination. With Blake, though, you never know. He’s full of
Slamming the door shut, Hank storms to the driver’s side of the car, gets in, and burns rubber. Standing as Blake approaches, I shoot him a curious look.
“He won’t be bothering you anymore. I promise,” he says in an attempt to explain what just happened.
“What did you say?” I inquire as I follow Blake into the house and up to his room. When he doesn’t respond, I start to worry things will be awkward in English class after I get back from break. The last thing I need is people to start talking about me. Nothing good ever comes from rumors.
Only one rumor has ever gone around this school about me, and Blake squashed it the day I heard about it. It was about me and him dating. Obviously, it wasn’t true. His word, for some reason, carried clout that mine didn’t when I denied it to the girl who asked me. Her snarky response irritated me more than anything. She didn’t know anything about me, yet she thought I was lying to her.
Closing the door behind us and plopping down on a bean bag in the corner, Blake finally answers me, “I told him you were dating my roommate and if he tried to hit on you again, he would be in for a rude awakening.”
“What! Why?” The words fly out of my mouth before I have a chance to filter myself. I don’t really care that he lied to Hank, and I don’t really care why. I wasn’t interested in him anyway.
“From where I was standing, it looked like you wanted out of that car and he was holding you hostage. I thought I was helping.”
“You did. Thank you.” I take a seat on the bean bag next to him and let the conversation fade away. Eventually, Blake picks up a controller and hands it to me, turning on his Nintendo.
We spend the next few hours battling over fire flowers and extra lives. Nothing more is said about Hank or the situation. I hear Mrs. Collins call up to me, letting me know Alice called to say dinner was ready. I say goodbye to Blake, but before I leave, he wraps me in a hug one last time.
“I’m so glad you’re home,” I say.
“Me too. I missed you, Charlie. You have no idea.”
Pulling back, I see the look on his face matches the sincerity in his voice. His eyes tell a different story, though. If Alice weren’t waiting on me, I’d probe him for answers. Tomorrow. Tomorrow he’ll have to come clean about what’s really going on with him. The clothes. The hair. Especially the way he’s been acting.
Promptly at nine o’clock the next morning, Blake is knocking on my door. Eager to get on the road, he pulls me down the porch steps and ushers me into the front seat of the car without even saying hello.
“What’s the rush?”
“No rush. I’m just excited to show you what I bought you for Christmas.”
“Christmas isn’t for another four days. I haven’t even bought your gift yet.”
“You don’t have to buy me anything.”
“Um, yeah, I do. Especially if you got me something. Duh!” As if I wouldn’t get him something regardless.
Turning up the radio, Blake ends our conversation without responding. He’s a man on a mission, and to be honest, I’m getting rather excited to see what he bought me. I’ve never had anyone aside from family buy me anything for Christmas. Now that my Aunt isn’t around, I was assuming only Alice and Scott would buy me something. I think of them as my family now, and I guess Blake is like family, too. I didn’t really think he would get me a gift, though.
As Blake slows and begins to parallel park, I take in our surroundings. We’re in front of a small strip mall on the outskirts of town. I can see a cafe and a furniture store from where he’s parking. I can’t imagine either of those places being our destination. With Blake, though, you never know. He’s full of
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