Prelude to Me: Zeke's Story: Blackbird II
A/n: This story won't be updated as often, I just have to much going on right now. But I really love reviews, even carefully constructed flamers. As long as you say WHY you don't like the story, then I appreciate them just as much as the others. I hope you all enjoy this.
Dad graduated when I was four years old. I remember squirming in the bleaches, forced to listen to some old dude talk for an hour about, hell, I don't remember. I just remember wondering why my dad was wearing a robe and weird hat. Nicole was so proud, she cried during the graduation, especially when he received his diploma. Within the year, he secured a job at a big business company.
Mom still worked at the bookstore, and still brought me everyday. It was a fairly new store; a bunch of regulars came in all the time. Always had to ruffle my hair as if I were some dog. That's why I hid in the kid's corner, keeping my nose stuffed in a picture book even though I didn't know any of the words. I meat Allie back there, I remember the day well.
It was Tuesday, I knew it was because that's when the book discussion group came. Just a whole bunch of ladies sitting in the café, sipping coffee and talking about the latest book. I hated them all. They all wanted to pinch my cheeks, ruffle my head, and call me cute. I cowered in the back corner, stuffed under an orange beanbag chair, praying no one would find me. Allie did.
"Whatcha doing under there?" She asked, tapping my exposed legs. Drat, I hadn't hidden well enough. I crawled out of my hiding place to see who had found me. She was little, not just a little kid, but little. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled into a French braid with hair bands that matched her overall outfit. Her face was tanned and freckled, pulled into a wide grin that spread to her dark brown eyes.
"I was hiding," I muttered, moving around the grinning girl to crawl onto the worn red couch. She followed, plopping down beside me with the same happy face, "You aren't a very good hider. I could see your feet." I shoot her a glare and moved to the other end of the couch, hoping she would leave soon. She annoyed me.
The girl didn't take a subtle hint, and scooted down so she was next to me once more. "I'm Allie." She announced proudly. I didn't reply, instead reaching for the nearest book and opening it. Allie waited patiently for several moments before grabbing the top of the book and yanking it down. "Hey, I'm reading that!" I yelled, glaring up at her. Ok, so I lied.
"You can read?" She asked in awed wonder, closing the book and setting it to the side. I sighed and shook my head, "No, I was just looking at the pictures." Some of the eagerness left her face, but was replaced as she whipped open the book again and pointed to the picture of a bear climbing a tree, "I know a really good game. I make up stuff about the pictures, since I can't read." She studied the picture silently then looked at me, "I bet the bear is climbing the tallest tree in the world!"
I looked at the picture slowly, then back at Allie, "Why?"
"Why? I don't know; you make something up."
I bit my lip before slowly saying, "He left his bike up there?"
"Yeah! And his mommy's really mad and is making him go get it!"
We continued the story for over an hour. I don't remember how it went anymore, but it got pretty crazy at one point until we fell into a fit of giggles where's Allie's mom found us. I frowned, sad for the first time to actually see the book discussion over with. I trailed after Allie to the front of the store where she waved to me.
I ran out to the sidewalk, watching her leave. I took a deep breath and hollered down the street to her, "Allie! My name is Zeke!" I saw her pause and turn, the wide grin back on her face. We spent ever Tuesday together that summer, sometimes making up wild stories, and sometimes just goofing off. Luckily, Nicole hit it off with Allie's mom, Jessica. Eventually, Allie and I were spending nearly every day together.
Then school started.
A/n: This story won't be updated as often, I just have to much going on right now. But I really love reviews, even carefully constructed flamers. As long as you say WHY you don't like the story, then I appreciate them just as much as the others. I hope you all enjoy this.
Dad graduated when I was four years old. I remember squirming in the bleaches, forced to listen to some old dude talk for an hour about, hell, I don't remember. I just remember wondering why my dad was wearing a robe and weird hat. Nicole was so proud, she cried during the graduation, especially when he received his diploma. Within the year, he secured a job at a big business company.
Mom still worked at the bookstore, and still brought me everyday. It was a fairly new store; a bunch of regulars came in all the time. Always had to ruffle my hair as if I were some dog. That's why I hid in the kid's corner, keeping my nose stuffed in a picture book even though I didn't know any of the words. I meat Allie back there, I remember the day well.
It was Tuesday, I knew it was because that's when the book discussion group came. Just a whole bunch of ladies sitting in the café, sipping coffee and talking about the latest book. I hated them all. They all wanted to pinch my cheeks, ruffle my head, and call me cute. I cowered in the back corner, stuffed under an orange beanbag chair, praying no one would find me. Allie did.
"Whatcha doing under there?" She asked, tapping my exposed legs. Drat, I hadn't hidden well enough. I crawled out of my hiding place to see who had found me. She was little, not just a little kid, but little. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled into a French braid with hair bands that matched her overall outfit. Her face was tanned and freckled, pulled into a wide grin that spread to her dark brown eyes.
"I was hiding," I muttered, moving around the grinning girl to crawl onto the worn red couch. She followed, plopping down beside me with the same happy face, "You aren't a very good hider. I could see your feet." I shoot her a glare and moved to the other end of the couch, hoping she would leave soon. She annoyed me.
The girl didn't take a subtle hint, and scooted down so she was next to me once more. "I'm Allie." She announced proudly. I didn't reply, instead reaching for the nearest book and opening it. Allie waited patiently for several moments before grabbing the top of the book and yanking it down. "Hey, I'm reading that!" I yelled, glaring up at her. Ok, so I lied.
"You can read?" She asked in awed wonder, closing the book and setting it to the side. I sighed and shook my head, "No, I was just looking at the pictures." Some of the eagerness left her face, but was replaced as she whipped open the book again and pointed to the picture of a bear climbing a tree, "I know a really good game. I make up stuff about the pictures, since I can't read." She studied the picture silently then looked at me, "I bet the bear is climbing the tallest tree in the world!"
I looked at the picture slowly, then back at Allie, "Why?"
"Why? I don't know; you make something up."
I bit my lip before slowly saying, "He left his bike up there?"
"Yeah! And his mommy's really mad and is making him go get it!"
We continued the story for over an hour. I don't remember how it went anymore, but it got pretty crazy at one point until we fell into a fit of giggles where's Allie's mom found us. I frowned, sad for the first time to actually see the book discussion over with. I trailed after Allie to the front of the store where she waved to me.
I ran out to the sidewalk, watching her leave. I took a deep breath and hollered down the street to her, "Allie! My name is Zeke!" I saw her pause and turn, the wide grin back on her face. We spent ever Tuesday together that summer, sometimes making up wild stories, and sometimes just goofing off. Luckily, Nicole hit it off with Allie's mom, Jessica. Eventually, Allie and I were spending nearly every day together.
Then school started.