Chapter 2
"So where are we going?" A curious Sara asked as she dusted the sand from her shoes. "I would love to go to that new book store, since my other book is currently polluting the ocean."
Rainey smiled. "Always looking at the negative side of things. Think of it this way, that book is out of sight, and out of mind. Your social problems are solved."
"Right. Can we go to the book store or what?"
"Or what. We can go after we grab a bite to eat at Henry's."
Sara laced her shoes. "I hate Henry's. His restaurant is disgusting. I bet he hasn't even heard of Clorox."
"It's greasy pizza and french fries Sare." She said with a shake of the head. "It's not suppose to be clean."
"I prefer food without years of dirt in it." She said walking down the sidewalk.
"Too bad." Sara stopped and Rainey kept going until she realized Sara wasn't beside her anymore. "Now what?" Rainey asked tiredly turning to Sara.
Without a word Sara turned the other way and stalked off. "I'm going home."
"Sara wait!" Rainey ran after Sara and grabbed her wrist. When Sara set her mind to something nothing was going to change it. Rainey knew this better than anyone. "Fine we will go to the bookstore then eat at Anna's on Poinsett."
Sara smiled. "Perfect."
Rainey looped her arm around Sara's arm. "Did I ever tell you that you have no taste?"
"That would be a lie. Anna's is much better than Henry's."
"Like I said no taste in food," she looked at Sara's shirt. "And none in clothes."
Sara smoothed her shirt. The thin strips were orange and blue. "I love this shirt."
"It shows. You've probably had it since the third grade."
"Fifth."
The girls laughed together. "Come on let's buy some books. Maybe I'll get one." Rainey said.
"Yeah right." Sara mumbled.
The book store smelled of moth balls and old paper. Sara fell in love. It just so happened that the store manager got in a new shipment of astronomy and mystery books. Sara was in heaven.
"Rainey look at this," Sara held out the book. "It's a book about space. The Inner Workings of Space and Time. I so have to get this."
Rainey frowned and held up her book. "I like this one. Lovers Become Enemies and it's a mystery."
"Cool. We could swap after we read them."
"I don't think I can read your book. Sorry I am not as smart as you Great Sara." She put her book down and ruffled Sara's hair into a frenzy.
"Quit!" Sara jumped away and continued to look through the book store totally ignoring her friend until she came running up beside her.
"Sare! Jimmy Noolan and Todd Smith just asked to eat with us at Anna's. Let's go." She grabbed Sara's arm and drug her out the door.
"We forgot to get the books!" Sara cried shrugging off Rainey's grasp and running back in the store. Sara was mature for her age but wasn't ready for the boy phase yet. Rainey tended to just drag her along anyway. Sara was still a child at heart; it was her brain that was years beyond the rest of her.
Rainey went back for her book in a hurry. The two girls purchase their books and were on their way. Sara took her time strolling along while neatly tucking her book into a brown paper bag when Rainey grabbed her arm again.
"Sara don't be such a pain in the ass. Hurry, they are going to meet us there."
Sara exhaled deeply and jogged after Rainey. Jimmy had a crush on Rainey and Todd had a big crush on Sara despite her efforts to ignore him. Naturally Sara didn't make it out to be as big a deal as Rainey did, because it was a sure thing Sara would be disappointed.
"Hi Larraine!" Jimmy waved them over to a booth they were saving. "Come sit down."
The girls glanced at each other then at the booth. "Let's go Sare." She lead the way over to the booth and slid in the empty side. Sara sat down next to her. "Hey guys you ready to order some pizza?"
"Sounds good to us." Jimmy smiled.
Todd glanced at Sara. "Hey Sara. Did you get a new book?"
Sara eyes lit up at the topic chosen for discussion. "Yeah it's one about space. It talks about..."
Rainey elbowed her in the side. "I am sure Todd would like to talk about something else Sara."
"Well then he can tell me so." Sara snapped back to Todd. "Well Todd?"
He hesitated. "I like books. Are comics classified as books?"
Sara rolled her eyes. What had she gotten herself into. She set herself up every time. The guy was cute until he opened that dumb mouth. "Rainey we should go."
She gaped at Sara. "Why?"
"Because I am going to say something I shouldn't have and you're going to get mad." It was a true big sister/little sister relationship. Sara often ruined every opportunity for Rainey to meet a boy. What Sara didn't know was that she didn't mind having Sara around at all. In fact Rainey relied on Sara many times to pass a good judgment of character. To say the least, Rainey saw Sara as a good friend, not a nuisance. Rainey looked at Sara then back to the boys, who wore a face of disgust at Sara's open rudeness.
Jimmy pointed a thumb at Sara. "You shouldn't have brought the shrew Larraine."
Larraine's face turned red. "What did you just say about her?"
Sara was beyond words, she just grabbed his thumb and twisted it hard. "Jimmy do you know how immature it is to call names? Didn't your mother teach you manners?" Sara twisted it harder.
"Let go!" Jimmy yelled. "I am sorry okay! Okay!"
Sara let go and shuffled out of the booth. "Do you even know what a shrew is?" Jimmy just looked at Sara with pure hatred. "That's what I thought." She finished.
Rainey just laughed. She was in tears of laughter and was pointing at the two boys. "You are the biggest jackass to say something like that to Sara." Sara gave her a scolding glare at the language used. "Sorry Sare."
Sara turned on her heels and walked out the restaurant with Rainey in tow. It was a good thing too because Anna was coming out from the kitchen to yell at them for such language in a public family place.
"Jesus Christ Sare! I never knew you had it in you." She clapped her on the back as they walked down the sidewalk.
"Unless you see Jesus Christ walking towards me, don't shout out his name." She said ignoring the compliment as she walked up the hill towards home.
"Sorry Sare. You did good though."
She shrugged. "I knew if you got him to repeat it, he would have more than a hurt thumb." Sara smiled at Rainey. She knew her friend had quite a temper and probably would have broken Jimmy's nose if given the chance. Cute or not, Rainey didn't put up with anyone's attitude.
"Thanks for knowing me so well." She stopped Sara by the arm to spin her around. "I mean it. You're the best friend I have ever had Sara."
"You're mine too Rainey." Sara said happily that Rainey wasn't upset.
Rainey hugged Sara tight. "Love you kiddo."
Sara squeezed back. "I hate it when you call me kiddo. I am only two years younger than you."
When they pulled away, Sara thought she saw tears in Rainey's eyes but she brushed her face with her hands before she could tell.
"Wow look at the time." Rainey looked at her purple watch. "Almost one o'clock and still no lunch."
"We could eat at my house." Sara suggested.
"Cool. You know how my dad is about visitors."
"I know." Sara sighed. "Well let's go then." She threw her bag under her arm and began the trek. "But my mom won't be too happy either when Jimmy's parents call her."
Rainey chuckled. "I'll vouch for ya. You have nothing to worry about. They were total jerks."
"She thinks you're a bad influence." Sara smiled widely showing her gap.
"Nothing could influence you Sara Sidle. You are one of a kind and nothing will change that."
tbc...