Chapter Four: Trial Separation/Fight with Gordie
The two had fallen asleep like that in the tree house. Laney woke up and looked at Chris's watch.
"Oh my God!" she said standing up, "it's 3:47! My parents'll whip my ass."
Chris was up by now. Laney was headed for the trapdoor when Chris grabbed her arm and pulled her back. He kissed her then said, "Can I see you again?"
"Yeah. Count on it," Laney said smiling. She turned and left the tree house.
***
Laney ran as fast as she could down the streets of Castle Rock and into her neighborhood. She arrived at her house. No lights were on, but she took no chances. She opened the door quietly. She was relived to see everyone was sleeping.
She went into her room and turned on her fan. She took off her uniform and put on an extra-large T-shirt. She brushed her hair and went to bed.
She could not stop thinking about Chris. He was really fine. Even when he lied to her, it was because he really liked her and he then admitted it. Laney finally closed her eyes and went to sleep.
***
The next few days Chris and Laney were inseparable. Chris would wait around at the restaurant all day and then walk her home. They made out in the tree house. They went to movies together, and Chris registered to drop back into school so he could be with Laney.
One day they were eating on the beach by the lake and Chris could tell there was something on Laney's mind.
"Hey babe, what's the matter?" Chris asked putting his arm around her.
"Nothing. I'm just thinking," Laney answered.
"No something's wrong because you're not happy and hyper."
"Fine. I know you are going back to school so we could be together. But I've been accepted into a drama academy."
"Oh. Well we'll still have nights and weekends and I'll be able to spend some time with my friends."
"Chris, it's in Minnesota."
"Oh."
Laney knew Chris would be disappointed. But still she said, "Chris this might be my only chance to prove what I can do. I'm sick of being here working minimum wage at a pizza place not being able to do anything because of my jerk off parents. I can get away from here while conquering my dreams at the same time."
Chris didn't know what to say. Laney continued.
"Chris I don't wanna leave you anymore than you want me to leave. But once the school year is over we can pick up right where we left off."
"No we can't. We can still be together but we're gonna change over that year. We won't be the same without watching each other change. When you come back we'll expect the same people we are now. When we change we'll probably not like each other anymore."
"Well what the hell's wrong with change Chris?"
"When you.love someone, it's harder to not love them."
Laney was stunned. Chris never talked to her like that. Sure he talked to her about everything else, but now she realized that Chris really loved her and was afraid to lose her.
"Chris.I'm sorry, but I want to do what I love. I love you too, but I love to act. This is my chance and I'm not gonna lose it for you. I'm sorry." Laney stood up and went back to her house.
Chris didn't know what to think. Was she breaking up with him? Was she going to change her mind? Chris didn't know. He just stood there, watching her get smaller and smaller, not even thinking about going after her. When she was gone he watched the lake until sundown.
***
Chris was in the tree house one day thinking and smoking, when he heard the secret knock that he and his friends used to use when they were younger. Chris answered, "Come in."
Gordie opened the door and popped his head in.
"Hey Gordie, man long time no see," Chris said surprised to see him.
"Yeah. I wonder why," Gordie answered.
"How did you know I was up here?"
"I saw the smoke through the window."
"Oh. Well, what's up?"
"Not much. Where's Laney?"
"Oh she'll be at her grandmother's for a week. So Gordie wanna catch a movie or go shoot targets or something?"
"Why will Laney be there?"
"Gordie, what's your problem?"
"Chris that's all you do these days. You wasted summer on Laney! What happened to me and the guys?"
"Gordie I don't? Me and Laney sorta."
"Look Chris, I know you have a girlfriend that you love a lot but you have friends too. And obviously you'd rather be with your girlfriend so I'm goona get the hell out of here and let you be with her."
"Gordie no, I still wanna hang."
"Forget it Chris."
With that Gordie left down the trapdoor. Chris could not believe it. Gordie was never like that. He always let Chris tell his side of the story, which he never had to, because Gordie never got mad. Chris had nobody now.
The two had fallen asleep like that in the tree house. Laney woke up and looked at Chris's watch.
"Oh my God!" she said standing up, "it's 3:47! My parents'll whip my ass."
Chris was up by now. Laney was headed for the trapdoor when Chris grabbed her arm and pulled her back. He kissed her then said, "Can I see you again?"
"Yeah. Count on it," Laney said smiling. She turned and left the tree house.
***
Laney ran as fast as she could down the streets of Castle Rock and into her neighborhood. She arrived at her house. No lights were on, but she took no chances. She opened the door quietly. She was relived to see everyone was sleeping.
She went into her room and turned on her fan. She took off her uniform and put on an extra-large T-shirt. She brushed her hair and went to bed.
She could not stop thinking about Chris. He was really fine. Even when he lied to her, it was because he really liked her and he then admitted it. Laney finally closed her eyes and went to sleep.
***
The next few days Chris and Laney were inseparable. Chris would wait around at the restaurant all day and then walk her home. They made out in the tree house. They went to movies together, and Chris registered to drop back into school so he could be with Laney.
One day they were eating on the beach by the lake and Chris could tell there was something on Laney's mind.
"Hey babe, what's the matter?" Chris asked putting his arm around her.
"Nothing. I'm just thinking," Laney answered.
"No something's wrong because you're not happy and hyper."
"Fine. I know you are going back to school so we could be together. But I've been accepted into a drama academy."
"Oh. Well we'll still have nights and weekends and I'll be able to spend some time with my friends."
"Chris, it's in Minnesota."
"Oh."
Laney knew Chris would be disappointed. But still she said, "Chris this might be my only chance to prove what I can do. I'm sick of being here working minimum wage at a pizza place not being able to do anything because of my jerk off parents. I can get away from here while conquering my dreams at the same time."
Chris didn't know what to say. Laney continued.
"Chris I don't wanna leave you anymore than you want me to leave. But once the school year is over we can pick up right where we left off."
"No we can't. We can still be together but we're gonna change over that year. We won't be the same without watching each other change. When you come back we'll expect the same people we are now. When we change we'll probably not like each other anymore."
"Well what the hell's wrong with change Chris?"
"When you.love someone, it's harder to not love them."
Laney was stunned. Chris never talked to her like that. Sure he talked to her about everything else, but now she realized that Chris really loved her and was afraid to lose her.
"Chris.I'm sorry, but I want to do what I love. I love you too, but I love to act. This is my chance and I'm not gonna lose it for you. I'm sorry." Laney stood up and went back to her house.
Chris didn't know what to think. Was she breaking up with him? Was she going to change her mind? Chris didn't know. He just stood there, watching her get smaller and smaller, not even thinking about going after her. When she was gone he watched the lake until sundown.
***
Chris was in the tree house one day thinking and smoking, when he heard the secret knock that he and his friends used to use when they were younger. Chris answered, "Come in."
Gordie opened the door and popped his head in.
"Hey Gordie, man long time no see," Chris said surprised to see him.
"Yeah. I wonder why," Gordie answered.
"How did you know I was up here?"
"I saw the smoke through the window."
"Oh. Well, what's up?"
"Not much. Where's Laney?"
"Oh she'll be at her grandmother's for a week. So Gordie wanna catch a movie or go shoot targets or something?"
"Why will Laney be there?"
"Gordie, what's your problem?"
"Chris that's all you do these days. You wasted summer on Laney! What happened to me and the guys?"
"Gordie I don't? Me and Laney sorta."
"Look Chris, I know you have a girlfriend that you love a lot but you have friends too. And obviously you'd rather be with your girlfriend so I'm goona get the hell out of here and let you be with her."
"Gordie no, I still wanna hang."
"Forget it Chris."
With that Gordie left down the trapdoor. Chris could not believe it. Gordie was never like that. He always let Chris tell his side of the story, which he never had to, because Gordie never got mad. Chris had nobody now.