Chapter 7
Angel by Jack Johnson
We were in Brian's above ground pool. Turns out the invitation to go over to Brian's was sent out to everyone. And I mean, everyone. It seemed like the whole school was at his house. But it wasn't, because Brian's parents were home upstairs hiding in their room.
Brian's yard wasn't big enough for a party like this. And I mean, its Tuesday, why are we having a party today. It's September 15. Who wants to go in the pool when its 68 degrees? Well, I can answer that question for ya. No one, because the only people in the pool are Emily and I. Even we are just sticking our feet in, sitting on the side of the pool.
Emily's house always has moths outside of it. Even when it isn't night time. You hear about moths how they are attracted to light and everything, not these moths, they are attracted to shade. It's freaky.
"Moth's are like the loser butterflies who never could get laid even if the taped a hundred dollar bill to..." That quote is so going on my twitter.
"I get it." I interrupted her rant. She's been at it for an hour now. It's getting sickening. "Hey," I say changing the subject, "Do what do you think Mr. Prady will grade me for my homework?"
She looks at me shocked, "You did it?"
"Well, yeah. Mr. Prady already hates me soo, I had to."
"Jesus, I only got through a couple of questions." She explains to me acting exhausted just thinking about it.
"Hey, how is it?" A voice asked behind us. We turned around and saw a petite girl walking towards us. She these giant sunglasses us that were way too big for her face, but she seemed to like them.
"Uh, it's freezing." Emily tells her.
"Oh," She sounds disappointed. "I was hoping to go in; I brought my bathing suite and everything."
"Hun, its 68 degrees, I don't think anybody's going in today." I shake my head at her.
She takes her flip-flops off and pushes her self up to sit next to us on the side of the pool. Once she gets up, she holds her hand out to us and says, "Marleen."
"Emily,"
"Ashlynn,"
"Wow," She says looking taken back, "Your names really match your faces."
"Um, is that a good thing?" I laugh. This Marleen chick is really straight forward.
"Of course!" She laughs a little too loudly. "Wow, this water is really cold. Thanks for the warning, guys."
"You're welcome." I reply; Syndicate by The Fray comes on through someone's radio.
Marleen groans, "You'd think they'd play better music at a party but no, it's all sappy crap from someone's un-music-educated iPod." She complains.
"Well, I wanna go get something to drink, you want anything?" I motion towards them. They shake there heads at me, and I push myself off the edge. I land clumsily, but start walking towards the house.
I saw Lauren and Jamie on my way and I smiled and waved at them. They were whispering to each other like they were bored out of their minds here and wanted to go. They aren't the casual pool-that-no-one-goes-in party.
"Heads up!" Someone said infront of me. I turned my head towards where the warning came from and saw a can of soda flying my way. I caught it easily, and looked up to see Seth holding another.
"Hello stranger." I say, and walk towards him.
Before he says anything else, he's smiles and mumbles 'hi' to some guy. Quite the popular fellow.
"Come on, you saw me like an hour ago." He protests waving his hands around. He's holding another soda can for himself.
"Oh yeah, what a visit that was, you don't say hi, you're just like, 'bye, don't drive here...'" I say sitting on the grass.
The thing with Brian's yard is that it's not big enough for a party like this and it doesn't have a deck or any chairs. So either you are left standing or you sit on the grass.
He rolled his eyes and sat next to me opening his soda can.
"Sorry, I'm just not cool enough to skip school like you did. You little slacker!" He said poking my stomach.
"Yeah, I'm incredibly cool, because while I was skipping school I was at home babysitting a four year old." I laugh, "Just admit that you missed me in school today." I say now poking him in the stomach.
"Never!" He yells almost spilling his Coke.
Now it's my turn to roll my eyes.
"Hey, do you know why it's so cold today?" Seth asks me, moving his arm so he can rest back on it.
"I don't know why. I'm not a weatherwoman."
"Ohhh, why aren't we snarky today." He smirks at me.
After a while of us just sipping our soda I hear my phone vibrate in my jeans. I pull it out not noticing that Seth has kind of positioned himself to see what the screen said.
It was from Josh. It read, 'Hey just wanted to know how you were doing. Ians annual bike run thing is coming up,' Like I didn't know. Give me a break, J-man. 'so ill be down in around oh I dont know three...' He ran out of his 140 characters. I waited until my phone buzzed again.
"Secret admirer?" Seth asks raising an eyebrow at me and smirking.
"No, but it is my brother Josh. He wanted nothing to do with me for as long as I could remember, and all of a sudden he starts showing up again." I explain to him sighing, my phone buzzing again.
"Yeah brother's can be tough," Seth replies as I read the last of Jamie's message.
'In about three weeks. Keep me updated on the planning & location. Alright love ya sis." What a card. I'd already had enough with his stuff, I think I'm gonna crack soon. A volcano ready to explode.
"Hey, don't you think it's kind of ironic to have a pool party in 50 degree weather?" I ask him changing the subject.
He smiles at me but is looking somewhere else, "Not Brian's fault for the sudden change in weather."
"Uh, well it's not like he planed this weeks in advance." I object, lying down on the ground. I really don't care that my hair is getting all grassy because I have to take a shower tonight anyhow.
"Well," Seth looks at me and takes another sip of his soda. "That's Brian for ya."
My phone buzzes again, and I make a face at it.
"Your brother again?" Seth asks me. I open it to find out and there was a text from Jordan.
"Why would he...? He's here?" I babble to myself. I could feel Seth looking at me confused.
I read the text and start laughing, "Jordan just sent me a text quote, it says, 'Those monkey thumbs were meant for dogs, Give me my thumbs, you fucking monkeys!' That's hilarious."
Seth chuckles a little. "Where is that from, do you know?" He asks looking around the yard for Jordan.
"I don't know but I'm gonna go find out." I tell him getting up from the ground. I spot Jordan near the door with Brian. He has his phone in his hand.
Brian was looking a little agitated with himself. I walk over there with a confused look on my face as to why. When they see me approaching Brian changes his expression to "happy to see you" and smiles at me. Guys are so weird.
"Brian?" I ask raising an eyebrow. He holds up his drink to take a sip, but then stops mid-way from the tone of my voice. "What's the matter? You looked so angry before. Did someone break one of your lawn chairs because that would be hilarious?" I could here Jordan chuckling to himself in the background.
"Oh, no." He finally takes that drink, "It's just—"
Brian cut him off, I guess he was trying to "save him" or something. What did they hear? "No ones going in the pool and he's kind of ticked off." Jordan shrugs.
I play along because I don't want them to know I'm suspicious. Well. Actually I do...but... "Brian! It's like 50 degrees out and your pool is probably 40! I don't think you really should have a pool party in this kind of weather."
He just shrugged as a reply. He looked up at the sky and kept drinking. I heard someone scream, "Oh shit! It looks like it gonna rain!" I looked behind me and noticed it was Bret that screamed. Typical.
Jordan and Brian sighed in unison. I decided to get my phone and finally find out what that random text was about.
"Why did you send me that quote?" I show him the text and he laughs.
"Oh, you were looking a little frustrated with something over there" He motioned towards where Seth and I were sitting on the lawn. "And I thought it might lighten the mood or something." He had a smug look on his face. Brian wandered off because he didn't want to hear our boring conversation.
"My brother called." I state putting my phone away. Jordan was probably the only one I could rant to right now. Emily is off with Bret laughing her fake laugh. Seth doesn't know a thing about Ian yet soo...
Jordan made an 'opps' face. "What did it say?"
I groan, even though I want to scream about it to him I know I can't. Because I don't want to look like a psycho path at a party. But...what the hell.
"He's all 'Oh. Ian's thing is coming up and I'll be there in say, oh three weeks or so...' Like I didn't know that Ian's bike run was coming up?" I can feel my cheeks burning up, my voice getting louder, and my eyes getting wetter. Jordan put and hand around my waist and pulls me towards the house. I heard him say 'come on.'
"He's such a jackass. I think I would freaking kill him if he was here." Jordan was trying to make me feel better as I was letting him lead me past everyone towards the backdoor. We walked passed Seth and he had a confused and concerned look on his face.
I laugh at Jordan's words though, but they come out in a crying type laughter.
"Jesus, you could fucking move! Wow, you're at a party and there's sophomore drama. Big whoop. Fucking move!" Jordan was screaming at these freshmen who were starring at us and blocking the door. They all looked hurt from Jordan's words but he didn't seem to care.
As I was stepping inside I heard Marleen scream, "Could someone change this awful music!" She burst too.
Brian's backdoor lead to his basement. It was cold and you could tell it hadn't been cleaned in years. This must've been the refreshment room or something, because there was a fridge and tons of boxes of cans or soda or empty bottles of beer. There was a ratty old couch that I was now sitting on. It had holes and stuffing all over it. I wondered if Annie came here one night and tore it apart or something because it looked like it had fought in a war.
"I'm telling ya, if I see those freshmen looking in the window I'm gonna kill them too!" Jordan yelled plopping himself on the couch next to me. He was doing that thing older brothers try to do when their girlfriend or sister is crying. Most older brothers anyways.
I laugh, "I think they'll be too scared to even look at us at school tomorrow."
"Or ever." He shifts in his seat uncomfortably. "When is Josh coming anyway, so I can plan my attack?"
"In about three weeks he said, but who knows. Last year he didn't even show up." That hurt me enough, but my parents looked at it as a way he was dealing with the death of his older brother.
"If he doesn't show up, we're going to take a road trip to his college and..." He seemed to have blanked.
Emily came bursting through the basement door. There was no one behind her luckily. I didn't want Seth coming in here seeing though I didn't tell her about it.
She was sitting right on the arm chair and had a angry look on her face. She must've heard from someone. Great, it was probably already around the whole party. "What the hell did that idiot say now?"
"Um, Jordan can tell you because I really don't feel like being here at this party anymore." I got up and wiped my face. I turned back to them and saw a concerned look on Jord's face and a worried look on Emily's.
"Where are you going to go?" Emily asked standing up too.
"Do you want us to come?" Jordan questioned.
"No, well, I might just be at the beach. Alone though." I gave them the idea. If there was an emergency they'd know where to find me.
They seemed to get that I needed my space. "You better take the back way out of here." Jordan told me starching on the couch. They were trying to play it cool.
"Do you have everything?"
I was in seventh grade when the accident happened. It was my friend Rebecca's birthday that day, and Emily, a couple of other friends, and I went home with her for a party. We were going to her house for caramel apples and fall type things like tat. We were going to decorate our own pumpkin. I know it sounds childish for a 13 year old to be doing but it was actually a lot of fun. Until my Dad showed up early.
It was October 6th. My Mom and Dad had gotten calls from the police and some of Ian's friend. That whole week seemed like a blur to me. Josh was still in high school, his senior year I believe. Either of us went to school that week.
Monday night was quiet. The diner table everyone just ate. We had cereal for supper that night. Usually this made me happy but that night I was too shocked to even notice.
Tuesday was filled with tears. It's like it hit everyone that Ian died on Tuesday instead of Monday. My Nana came over and stayed with us that day. She's the only grandparent figure we've got.
Wednesday was filled with funeral arrangements. Josh and I mostly sat around pretending to be watching the TV. Josh usually push that whole teenager, 'I don't give a shit' but he really looked up to Ian and once he found out, it was like he got smacked in the face that his older brother was gone.
Thursday was the wake where I had to stand there and try to act okay and shake peoples hands and here them say, "I'm so sorry!" or "It's going to be alright, Ashlynn." or "I can't believe you missed the finally of the Real World!" –That one was from Emily trying to bring up my mood by yelling at me about something stupid. But surprisingly it helped. And she knew it would.
Ian was just in the right place at the wrong time. It was a late Sunday night, lets say around 12 or 1 and Ian was out in providence visiting his friend or something. Where his friend lives it's parking where you can get fined if you park on the street and the house where his friend lived shared a driveway with the next house over. So instead of getting a ticket he parked in some mini-mart and walked a couple blocks to the house. It was that apartment building kind of part of Providence and there were a lot of gangs.
He was only a block away from the house turning up to go onto another street when he heard some guys fighting. He quickly stopped to hear what they were fighting about. The cops said one of them was a drug dealer and the other was one of the dealers clients and the client wasn't getting what he wanted. The client had a gun and had it aimed towards the dealer. Once Ian realized this he quickly tried to break it up. But since the client was apparently psycho – well why wouldn't he be? – he shot Ian a bunch of times just to shut him up.
And that is how my young 25 year old brother died.
Rainbow Veins by Owl City. It was playing in my ear. This song never failed to make me stop crying. I had my arms held tightly around my knees in the sand near the dunes around the old lifeguard chair. When I got here the sun had already set. It was dark but I had my phone to light up around me, as well as my iPod.
Jordan had texted me a couple times concernedly. He told me that nobody at the party was saying a word about me and that someone had finally gone in the pool. He said it was some crazy chick named Marleen. That made laugh.
My cousin Owen from Colorado texted me too. He was wondering how I was doing and everything. I haven't seen him since he moved there. Even though I found him so obnoxious when I was younger I missed him. He always would make me laugh with his impressions and his funny voice when he was making fun of the Japanese.
It was too early for the moon to be out, and I was considering to stay the night here. Not a good idea. Well, I don't have a ride home. So I'd have to wait for the buss anyways. Unless one of the guys at the gate that always ask for number could give me a ride home.
After about 4 times of Rainbow Veins repeating I come to a conclusion. Ride home from one of the Beach Boys. I get up and start heading towards which I think is the way to the bathhouses. Its about a mile but I'll make it in time. And if I didn't I'm sure they'd come looking for me seeing that I came in with puffy red eyes.
The older one was all, "Oh, are you okay? I hope it's got nothing to do with that high school. I hated those days. Didn't you Steve?" I just said it was nothing and ignored them. They let me walk away and I could here the older one saying, "Dammit, I could have comforted her and did that whole 'I'm your shoulder to cry on' shit!"
The waves crashing on the shore looked so cold and dark. At night the water looked different. It's not all warm and inviting. Its more like, 'get the heck off the beach already!' And I was obeying it too.
I'd walked about a quarter of a mile and it was getting dark. I was debating whether or not I should start running. But I did have skinny jeans on and lets just say they're really tight. Not the best for any kind of movement other than standing, sitting, and walking.
My stomach started growling at me with anger. First thing to do once I get home is eat. Or I betcha I can get one of the Beach Boys to get me something. I know they've been dying too. But it would kind of be, wait. It wouldn't be kind of, it would be mean leading them on, thinking they have a chance when they don't. But, my stomach is really hungry—
A dog had approached me like I was the stick someone threw. It was a dark big dog, bigger than Annie. I hadn't seen or heard it coming towards me. It seemed friendly since it was practically eating my hand. I kneeled down next to it and it had a smell I've smelled before. And not the 'I'm a dog and this is what I smell like' kind of smell, like the smell of a person's scarf or sweater or something. Their smell.
"Where did you come from buddy?" I asked the dog and it proceeded to lick my face. That didn't really answer me bud.
It was too dark to figure out what kind of breed it was but it was a shaggy dog. I love shaggy dogs, they are so cute. It must be a mix.
"Toast!" Someone was screaming infront of me. But it was too dark to see and they didn't have a flashlight either. Either that's the name of the dog or they really want some toast.
"You son of a bitch dog. If you don't get back here—" The guy seemed to realize that there was someone petting his strangely named dog. I feel bad for you, toast.
The guy kept approaching me without saying a word until he was like right in my face. Well about 3 feet away. I was exaggerating.
"Ashlynn?" Now that he said my name I knew who it was. Seth. I mean who else would it be? I laughed in my head to this thought, Who else would be walking the beach at 9:30 with their dog Toast.
"Your dog's name is stupid." I tell him. I really didn't want to get into the whole what happened, 'why did you take off' thing.
Instead of defending his dogs name he just laughs. Not haahhh-that-was-funny laughing, like throwing-your-head-back cannot-stop-laughing laugh. Toast jumps up on him with excitement.
"He's not my dog; I was dog sitting for my hippie neighbors." The real Seth finally comes back around.
"I'm jealous you have hippie neighbors. All I've got is Emily and Kenny the motor cycler." I pouted and started walking towards him.
"Don't tell me you've ridden on it, please, don't tell me..." He said as Toasty was licking his wet leg. I'm guessing he was walking in the water.
"I haven't, so stop worrying grandpa."
Even though it was pitch black, we were so close I could see him roll his eyes. "So, thanks for ditching me at the party. I'm that boring." He said sarcastically as he shot me a smile.
I could tell he knew I didn't wanna talk about what happened.
We started walking. Toast went running out in front of us. The breeze had picked up a lot since I'd gotten here. I only had a short sleeve shirt on and I was freezing. Seth didn't seem to be in his South Beach sweatshirt. Why hadn't I brought a sweatshirt? I thought.
"Because," I stretched that word out giving me more time to make something up, "I really wanted Jordan to yell at this group of freshman so I pretended to have a mental breakdown so he could."
I shrugged. "Hey, did you take your car here?" Yes! I don't have to ride home with the Beach Boys after all! and I much rather eat something with Seth than with those tools.
"Um, no I walked." He said frowning.
"Oh really," I replied smirking at him when I ran to his car in the parking lot.
When he caught up to me, he looked at the car in shock. "How'd this get here?"
I laughed and got in anyways. Toast was over near Patty, the beach boy's mom/owner of the C.K. Beach Club. Seth called after Toast a couple times looking like an idiot. Patty didn't seem to be pleased that the dog was harassing her. But Beach Boy Number 2 was. He was talking to it in the annoying high pitched voice saying, "You're so cute, yes you are..."
"Hey," I called over to Seth who looked so aggravated with beach boy number 2. He turned to me, "I'll go get him, that guy over there loves me." I tell him.
A flash of jealousy cross his face for a second, "No, it's okay. I'll go. You're in the car."
Even though he said he was going to get Toasty, he didn't He stood there cursing at the dog not loud enough for Beach Boy Number 2 or Patty to hear. I looked around in the back of his Wrangler for food or something that would get Toast's attention. I found a rawhide bone underneath one of the seats and got out of the car with it in my hand. I walked half way between Seth and Toast.
"Hey, Toasty! Look what I got!" The dogs head cocked to the side then practically knocked Beach Boy Number 2 over. He came rushing towards me and took the bone from my hand.
Toast lied down in front of me and started playing with the bone.
Seth came over and opened the door to the truck and tapped the floor of it telling Toast to get in. The dog jumped right in and lied down again.
Seth closed it and then turned to me.
"Well..." I smiled, "what's my prize?" I ask him
"What prize?" He raised one of his eyebrows.
"The prize for getting Toast here in the car and away from Beach Boy Number 2."
"Oh, well, if you did that then I guess you do get a prize." He said grabbing his keys from his pocket and turning to go to the drivers side. I go the opposite way. Once we're in the car and all buckled up I asked him again.
"Let's see, you can put whatever you want on." Let's see, to the stranger this would seem small but to a friend or I don't know girlfriend (I'm not sure what to call myself since we've only kissed once...) it's big. He never lets you touch the radio stereo or his iPod. If I did I think he would actually hit my hand or something.
"Whatever I want." I echoed. "Soo...you wouldn't mind if I put in my iPod and played my songs." I was teasing him now and I think he knew what song I was going to put on first.
"Oh god, don't put on White Lines and Red Lights. You have to wait when we get into the city part of Westport so we can put it on when there is an actual red light."
I pout, "Fine." I put on Sweet and Low by Augustana instead. He seemed pleased.
My stomach doesn't really feel that hungry anymore and I really don't think it will take fast food seeing that it's 10. But I really didn't want to go straight home seeing that I would be alone. I really didn't want to be alone tonight. Even if some pervert old guy was in my house, I would be happy because I wouldn't be alone.
"Where are you taking me?" I ask him; maybe I can get him to take me to his house.
"Uh, I don't know. I thought you wanted to go home?" He said with uncertainty in his voice.
I groaned and hid my face between my knees. "Home is boring and lonely. Do you know any old perverts?" I ask him referring to my thoughts earlier. I look at him and his face is a cross between confusion and laughter because I guess the question I asked was just that funny.
"I'm not letting you walk into your house with an old pervert there."
"Such a gentlemen."
"Well," He says, "I try."
Seth reached over to my iPod plugged into the carjack thingy ma bob and changed the song Honey by the Hush Sound.
"Excuse me," I reached toward the iPod he was holding. "I'm in control, remember?"
"Hate to break it to ya, but that song sucks." He shrugged and toke his hand away from my iPod.
"Yeah, you're right." It's a really long drive from Westport back to Pawtucket. We're probably gonna get home around quarter to 11. I wonder what his parents will say.
"So are you gonna be all boring and come to school tomorrow?" Seth asks me smiling but his eyes are on the road. I heard Toasty in the background destroying her bone.
"Uh," I reply, rather dumbly if you ask me, "My parents are coming back Thursday so if they found out I skipped both days they were gone they might never leave again."
"Yeah," He was merging onto the highway, much faster than the backroads I would've taken. "I don't think I could take two days in a row of Bret and his basketball tirades."
I laughed because that's what Emily told me earlier today, glad to see she wasn't lying, or he wasn't.
We were practically half way to Pawtucket. The highway wasn't busy tonight seeing that it's a Tuesday. But when we did reach a car it was either teenagers and 20 year olds or senior citizens. Those old fogies sure know how to party it up.
Right now there seemed to be no one around us. There was one car behind us, but that was behind us so we couldn't really see who was driving.
"Oh, dude," Seth muttered to himself looking back in the review mirror.
"What?" I ask confused twisting my body so I could look through the back window. But all I saw was Toast sitting up and breathing heavily. I see he happily finished his bone. God, I'm hungry.
"These idiots behind us are right on my butt." He kept looking in the review mirror he said this. That's stupid of them. Don't they know there are two other lanes they can go into.
"Just go into the other lane so they can pass us." Duh.
He followed my instructions but they leveled with us so they could see right in the car. They were two guys. Both of them looked to be about Seth's age, maybe older.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Seth said as he saw who was in the car.
"What? Do you know those losers?" My window was open halfway, and the other car's was too. When they heard what I said they were all, "Hey!"
"Yeah, that's my moron cousin and I'm thinking one of his friends. They're seniors at some private high school." As he was saying this his cell phone buzzed from his front pocket. "Uh, can you get that for me? It's probably him." He told me motioning towards the other car.
I unbuckled my seatbelt and reached over for his pocket. I quickly grabbed the phone and sat back in my seat. I saw Seth blushing. Hah.
I read the text and it said it was from his cousin I'm guessing named Christopher, 'whos the hottie?' the text read. I was pretty sure Christopher was referring to me. I started laughing to myself because I was considered a 'hottie.'
"What? Did he say something about me?" Seth asked anxiously.
"Please, he said, 'who's the hottie?' You must think very highly of yourself if your cousin was asking me if you were the hottie." I teased; Christopher's car was way ahead of ours now.
"You can reply." Seth told me glancing down at his phone.
"What should I say?" I asked him looking out the window. The streetlight for the highway were lit brightly. We were approaching the exit we had to take to get to little ol' Pawtucket.
"I don't know. Use your imagination." As he said this his phone buzzed again.
"What does it say now?" Seth asked me as I opened up another text from Chris.
"Um, 'tell her that I have a better chance at banging her than you do. HAHA.' Okay then." I looked at Seth and raised an eyebrow. "Neither of you do, sorry." Seth didn't seem to care he doesn't seem like that kind of guy. Well at least in front of me he doesn't.
"Hmm," Seth was thinking now tapping on the steering wheel. "He has no life at all, so make up some lie and say you're my....I don't know...ex-girlfriend, perhaps."
I typed in what he said and a second later Chris replied. "It says, 'oh man, that's fresh.'" Weirdo. Some guys are just...ugh.
"What a loser. Um hey, we've got my house, your house, or Emily's house. Which would it be?"
"Emily has her cousin over, and personally that girl is a snob. So cross that off the list. My house..." I made a face, "Unless you're going to stay with me for awhile. OHH!" An idea popped into my head.
"What?" Seth looked puzzled as he was driving around aimlessly.
"I'll text Jordan. He'll stay." I already got my phone out and was texting away.
"Um, you sure? Because I could always call my mom..." He was jealous of Jordan. Doesn't he know that Jordan is like my older brother? "Won't your parents get mad if Jordan stays over?"
"Oh, and they won't get mad that you would spend the night. Jordan's like the 3rd son they never had." I explain to him as he pulling onto my street.
"True," He looked disappointed. Crap, I made him sad. I'm evil.
"But, Jordan will probably take forever to actually get to my house even though it's like 300 feet away...So you can stay with me until he does."
"Alright," He pulled into my driveway. I still could hear Toast in the background breathing heavily. "Annie must miss me."
"You wish. Toast can have a girlfriend now though."
"We should be matchmakers, I mean hippie shaggy dog and a pampered pooch. Whoa."
He laughed and toke the keys out of the ignition. Before getting out he toke his cell phone out of my lap and I grabbed mine. Toast was now standing up wagging his tail.
Toast was the first to get in the house. Annie was wagging her tail like crazy to see that I've come home. On the island there was a note from Kenny that said he fed Annie. I was grateful and reminded myself to get him a little present for just being there.
Toast and Annie were doing that butt sniffing thing to each other. Annie seemed to like Toast because she had a ball in her mouth ready to play.
I walked through the kitchen towards the dinning room. On top of the china cabinet we had bags of popcorn, chips, pretzels, all that good stuff. It was too high up for me to reach so I took one of the chairs from the dinning table and pushed it over.
Seth followed me in there and was watching me shaking his head. "I'll get it, your gonna kill yourself."
"Aw, a guy who watches for my safety. So sweet." I put a hand over my chest. He just rolled his eyes and asked what I wanted.
"Um, a Barbie, ice skates, um....a puppy." He ignored me and got the popcorn which was actually what I wanted all along. Mind reader. Don't become Edward Cullen on me Seth, because I don't want to see that.
"I thought you already had ice skates?" Seth asked me opening up the bag. It was Kettle Popcorn from Popcorn, Indiana. Yes, that's a real town.
"Not for Annie." I tell him like he should've known.
"Why do I ask?" He talks to Toast who is begging for some popcorn. "Well, do you want the popcorn?" He asks me.
"Uh," I look at the bag he's already opened, I shake my head,
"Than what do you want?" He sounds annoyed.
"You," I look at him and take a step closer so my chest is up against his. I can feel him look down at my lips.
He leans in and I kiss him.
Later, my cell phone buzzes and says that Jordan can't come over because of his cousin.
