Stepping Stones chapter 2
OK, we'll be alternating chapters from here on in. So this chapter is Double D's POV, next chapter is Marie's and so on.
Benny: Of course, start with Double D. So even-numbered is him and odd-numbered is Marie? Makes sense.
Just a little warning, I'll go into third person near the end. You'll know when you see the second line break.
It was a warm, lovely and calm Saturday morning so I decided to do the first recording outside at the playground. It may have been a weekend but most of the kids were probably at the lane so I could record Marie without there being any disturbance.
At 10 am, I headed over to the playground with my camcorder in my bag and a indifferent look on my face. But honestly, I felt nervous and a little scared. Ms. Parker wasn't exactly lying when she said that Marie wasn't the most welcoming person. Last year, she nearly clawed Lauren Douglas' face because Lauren bought my homework when I was sick with the flu.
How would she react to me attempting to find out everything about her? How would she react to the reality of it all being filmed for her peers to see, examine and analyze? I wasn't sure and I tried to stay calm but I had one or two warning bells going off in my head.
I went through the playground fence and saw Marie, in a purple graphic T-shirt and dark green camouflaged pants, sitting on one of the swings.
I walked over to her, sat across from her on a tree stump and began setting up. I unzipped the backpack and took out the camcorder before I turned it on.
I asked "You're pretty early. How long were you here before I came here?"
Marie answered "I showed up here an hour ago. I was getting bored until you showed up, Double D. But seeing you, it seems worth it all."
I sighed. I had a notebook page that I filled with questions that I wrote the night before. I checked it over twice, just to make sure that nothing I asked made Marie vexed.
She gave me a mischievous smirk before she crossed her legs and said "OK, sweetheart, I'm ready."
I replied "How old are you?"
She answered affectionately "I just turned 14 but you already know that since you're so smart. By the way, thanks for the birthday present."
I slightly blushed out of mild embarrassment. Marie turned 14 two weeks ago and despite our history, I decided to send her a gift in the meaning of goodwill. I knew that she liked to play the guitar so I got her a guitar pick. I wrapped it up along with a IPhone and left the package at her trailer. But I didn't think that Marie knew that I was the one who left it.
I responded with "Y-You're welcome, Marie. Where do you live?"
Marie began to slowly swing herself as she answered "You know that too, actually. Everybody does. But hell with it, I'll still answer it. Prickly Pines Trailer Park."
I tried not to wince outwardly as I thought "I think that definitely means that she's heard the comments the other kids make about her and her sisters."
The other children at school had made comments about the Kankers living at Prickly Pines and "trailer trash" was a common insult that they muttered under their breaths. It sounded horrible and even if Marie was a bully, she didn't deserve to be called trailer trash.
I replied "What's your favorite type of music?"
She rolled her eyes before she responded with "Double D, you already know this. Why would you need to ask all of these questions?"
I took a deep breath and said "I don't know everything about you and the other kids definitely don't know much about you."
She coldly replied "They know enough to make rumors about me and call me trailer trash."
Oh no, she did know. That wasn't good but perhaps I could have calmed her down and reasoned with her. So that was what I did.
I replied "Marie, some other students might do that because they feel jealous of you or angry at you. Wouldn't talking about your life and revealing more of who you are to everyone prove them wrong?"
I thought "This just might work. On the other hand, it could backfire and make her more angry." as my worst fears began to come to light in my mind.
Marie replied "Fine, I'll keep on doing this. But for you and also because if I'm gonna do this stupid project, I might as well do it with my boyfriend."
Marie continued "My favorite genre is rock, of course but I'll listen to anything as long as it isn't Justin Bieber or One Direction. I tried to listen to One Direction, just once and I turned it off in the first twenty seconds. It was that awful."
I chuckled. I wasn't a large fan of pop either as I preferred classical music. However, I would listen to anything other than pop.
Marie smirked at me and said "I'll take that as an agreement with me. Looks like we just have something in common, after all. Well, something other than guitars."
I replied coolly "What we have in common is that you like me, we both have a severe dislike of pop music and we are partners in doing this project. But I suppose that I could add guitars to that list."
I continued "Who do you live with?"
Marie answered "I live with my mom, May and Lee. I see my dad, I mean, Butch once a month. He tries to get me to "bond" with him and his new family. But I know that he's just trying to make up for Mom leaving him and all the time he lost. Butch knows that he has to make up for lost time so he just wants to get the thought of not getting to spend time with his daughter off his conscience."
Marie continued "As for my mom, she works a lot. A full time job, 5 to 9, you know that kind of thing. She leaves before I get up and she comes home just before I fall asleep. She manages to take care of us. Make sure we're fed, dressed and everything else. Even helps us with our homework on her days off. For May and Lee, you know about them. We fight sometimes but we're family. Believe it or not, the Kankers stand together, cheer together and fight together."
I asked "What about other relationships? Friends, a boyfriend?"
Marie answered "My only friends around here are May and Lee. As for a man, I've got you, sweetheart. But I did have one guy before, Justin. He was kind of strong but overprotective. I didn't like him too much but Justin was alright. He dumped me when I made him miss a shot in a basketball game. Our school was in the regional finals that season."
I replied "How did you feel when he dumped you?"
Marie responded with "Look, Double D, I'm a Kanker. We don't cry, watch movies and eat ice cream like any other girl would have. We get up, dust ourselves off and move on. There were other guys that I've met, like you. Justin and I weren't even in a relationship."
I asked "What do you think classifies as a relationship, then?"
Marie answered "In order to be in a relationship, both people gotta love each other and be committed. Justin wasn't either. He messed around with other girls, so he wasn't committed. He definitely didn't love me because he either ignored me or treated me like his dog. Justin just wanted to impress his little jock friends by hanging out with the school's rebel girl. I was committed. I didn't really love Justin but I was willing to make it work."
At that point, I had a few more questions for Marie.
I thought "OK, a few more questions for her and then I'll be done for the day."
I asked "What grade are you in?"
Marie answered "Eighth grade so I'll be in high school with everyone else this fall."
I asked "Do you participate in any extracurricular activities? Sports, music, etc?"
Marie answered "I suppose taking kids' cash or punching people wouldn't count as one. I play my electric guitar at home. Does that count?"
I replied "You don't play it at school so it wouldn't count."
Marie shrugged before she said "That's a no, then. Any more questions?"
I asked "Just one. What do you plan to be when you get older?"
Marie answered "Probably not a suit, that's for sure. Either a computer hacker or a musician. I could see myself playing bass in front of a large, sold out audience or stealing 50 grand from some businessman's back account." with a grin on her face.
I said "That's all of them, Marie. I'll see you near the river tomorrow morning."
Marie pouted before she responded with "Aww, I have to wait until tomorrow to be with you? Well, for you, I can wait."
I turned off the camcorder and put it back in my backpack. Marie dusted herself off and got off of the swing. We both split up and headed for our respective houses.
Marie slammed the door to the trailer closed with a small smile on her face. She went through a day getting interviewed by her boyfriend. Tomorrow, it was going to be her turn.
Lee looked up from the TV and asked "That was fast. How was it?"
Marie answered "I talked to him and I get to interview him tomorrow."
Marie knew one thing. She couldn't wait for tomorrow.
