*** Hey here's another chapter. ***
"Hey Jason. what's it like to have a mom and dad?" I asked as we sat under the tree in the school yard.
"Addie what in tarnation are you talkin' about?" He answered setting his history text down.
"What I'm tryin' to say is I lost my mom when I was five and I lost my daddy three years ago. I never got to have a mom while I was growin'. The closest thing I've had to a mom would be Mrs. Matthews. Now tell me how it is with both parents." I answered.
Sighing Jason turned towards me. "Well having both parents is great. I guess." He paused. "Mom stays at home with my younger siblings. she always has a snack waiting for me and my older brother when we get home." Silence. "Dad works and he comes home at the same time everyday. um that's about it." He replied toying with a loose string on his football jersey.
I sat there silently letting his words sink in as I tried to remember the days when I did have both parents. "Thanks Jase." I said after a moment.
"Hey no problem. It must be hard not having a mom and dad." He stated looking at me.
"Yeah, but I was lucky to have the gang there for me." I responded. "If it weren't for Darry I would probably be in a home."
"Jason, Addie do ya guys want to play with us?" Eli called to us as he jogged over.
"Sure why not." Jason answered as he pulled himself to his feet. "Addie want to play?" He asked turning back to me.
I nodded as they pulled me to my feet. We raced each other to the field where the others were waiting. "Bout time ya guys showed up." George replied tossing the football to Eli. "Same teams as last time?" He asked.
"Yup let's get out there and play." Jason said running out to the middle.
Tossing my jean jacket on the bench I pushed my sleeves up above my elbows and ran to the other side of the field.
*** End of Lunch hour. ***
"Ok this is the last play of the game." Pat O. called throwing the ball to me.
I zigzagged around the opponents and came up against George. He stood there like a mountain; I knew I couldn't shove him out of my way. He was standing on the imaginary end zone line I had to make a decision. After a split second I dove under him and touched the ball to the ground before my knees. My team had won just as the bell rang.
"Great job Addie!" Jason said as he swung me around. "That was by far the best play I ever did see." He exclaimed.
"Yeah, great job Addie!" Pat O. said as we left the field.
Smiling I grabbed my jacket and book and together we ran inside.
*** After School. ***
"Hey Addie how was school?" Soda asked when I walked through the door.
"Good." I replied. "Aren't you supposed to be at work?" I added setting my books down on the coffee table.
"Naw I had the day off. Besides Darry's at work and Pony's at track. Darry didn't want ya to come home to an empty house. So. it's Friday night what are ya doin'?" He said changing the subject.
"Jason and his friends are goin' to pick me up and go to a movie." I replied plopping down beside him on the couch.
"You sure that's a good idea?" Soda asked looking at me.
"What do ya mean Soda?" I paused as it dawned on me. "Soda those guys are just like the gang. They protect me." I answered.
"It's ok with me, but I'd run it by ole Dar." Came the response.
"Thanks Soda." I replied getting up I went to my room to get ready.
*** Ok I leave it at that. The next chapter will be about the night out. If ya guys have any ideas of what should happen yer free to share. ***
"Hey Jason. what's it like to have a mom and dad?" I asked as we sat under the tree in the school yard.
"Addie what in tarnation are you talkin' about?" He answered setting his history text down.
"What I'm tryin' to say is I lost my mom when I was five and I lost my daddy three years ago. I never got to have a mom while I was growin'. The closest thing I've had to a mom would be Mrs. Matthews. Now tell me how it is with both parents." I answered.
Sighing Jason turned towards me. "Well having both parents is great. I guess." He paused. "Mom stays at home with my younger siblings. she always has a snack waiting for me and my older brother when we get home." Silence. "Dad works and he comes home at the same time everyday. um that's about it." He replied toying with a loose string on his football jersey.
I sat there silently letting his words sink in as I tried to remember the days when I did have both parents. "Thanks Jase." I said after a moment.
"Hey no problem. It must be hard not having a mom and dad." He stated looking at me.
"Yeah, but I was lucky to have the gang there for me." I responded. "If it weren't for Darry I would probably be in a home."
"Jason, Addie do ya guys want to play with us?" Eli called to us as he jogged over.
"Sure why not." Jason answered as he pulled himself to his feet. "Addie want to play?" He asked turning back to me.
I nodded as they pulled me to my feet. We raced each other to the field where the others were waiting. "Bout time ya guys showed up." George replied tossing the football to Eli. "Same teams as last time?" He asked.
"Yup let's get out there and play." Jason said running out to the middle.
Tossing my jean jacket on the bench I pushed my sleeves up above my elbows and ran to the other side of the field.
*** End of Lunch hour. ***
"Ok this is the last play of the game." Pat O. called throwing the ball to me.
I zigzagged around the opponents and came up against George. He stood there like a mountain; I knew I couldn't shove him out of my way. He was standing on the imaginary end zone line I had to make a decision. After a split second I dove under him and touched the ball to the ground before my knees. My team had won just as the bell rang.
"Great job Addie!" Jason said as he swung me around. "That was by far the best play I ever did see." He exclaimed.
"Yeah, great job Addie!" Pat O. said as we left the field.
Smiling I grabbed my jacket and book and together we ran inside.
*** After School. ***
"Hey Addie how was school?" Soda asked when I walked through the door.
"Good." I replied. "Aren't you supposed to be at work?" I added setting my books down on the coffee table.
"Naw I had the day off. Besides Darry's at work and Pony's at track. Darry didn't want ya to come home to an empty house. So. it's Friday night what are ya doin'?" He said changing the subject.
"Jason and his friends are goin' to pick me up and go to a movie." I replied plopping down beside him on the couch.
"You sure that's a good idea?" Soda asked looking at me.
"What do ya mean Soda?" I paused as it dawned on me. "Soda those guys are just like the gang. They protect me." I answered.
"It's ok with me, but I'd run it by ole Dar." Came the response.
"Thanks Soda." I replied getting up I went to my room to get ready.
*** Ok I leave it at that. The next chapter will be about the night out. If ya guys have any ideas of what should happen yer free to share. ***