Chapter Two!
"Okay class, I'll let you get into groups of two or three so you can go over yesterday's homework. I know most of you had difficulties with it, so I'll allow some time to compare notes." Ronnie's math teacher, Ms. Frente said as the students pulled desks together, turning in their notebooks to their homework. Ronnie pulled up beside Chad, who seemed somewhat distracted that morning.
"Hey Chad." Ronnie greeted. Chad jumped as he noticed Ronnie sitting next to him.
"Geez Ron, you scared me." He said with a laugh, jokingly clutching his chest, mimicking a heart attack. Ronnie giggled.
"You looked like you were on another planet." She noticed. Chad shrugged it off immediately.
"You're crazy, girl." He immediately focused his attention on the homework. Ronnie thought Chad was great; the greatest friend she had ever had, other than the Camdens, but they her family now. Chad was so much fun to hang out with. They did so much together. He always went to her basketball games and she always hung out with him at the Promenade. The only thing she noticed that was strange was how mysterious he was. He seemed to keep a lot of secrets, and hide stuff from her, but she never pushed him. He knew if he ever needed somebody to talk to, he could talk to Ronnie.
Ronnie told Chad everything. He knew all about her past and how she was nearly killed and how she was adopted by the Camdens. She felt so connected to Chad, even though they seemed so different. Ronnie had a strong faith in God, Chad had never stepped foot in a church. Ronnie was interested in books and art, Chad was interested in science and music. Ronnie lived in a house with 9 other people, Chad only lived with his father. Chad never talked about his father, Ronnie noticed. It made her remember her own parents and how she had never talked about them either.
"Ronnie, did you understand question six?" Chad asked as he opened an empty page. Ronnie puckered her brow.
"Chad, your page is empty. Didn't you do the homework?" She asked. Chad got quiet fast as he seemed to be considering her question nervously.
"Well, yeah, I just didn't get a chance. Too much was happening." He said as he wrote the date at the top of his page.
"Like what?" She asked suspiciously.
"Not important." He replied, avoiding eye contact. Ronnie sighed but opened her textbook, ready to help her friend.
The bell rang after fourth period and Chad grabbed his backpack and said bye to Ronnie quickly, running out of the classroom. He always leaves so quickly. She noticed as she gathered her own belongings. She noticed a yellow binder sitting on Chad's desk. She laughed to herself. He'd forget his head if it wasn't screwed on. She picked it up and headed out to the front of the school where Lucy and Simon were waiting for Annie, who was picking them up after school.
"Hey Ronnie, how was school?" Lucy asked as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail. Ronnie shrugged.
"Okay I guess." She replied.
"Whose binder is that?" Simon asked, not recognizing it.
"It's Chad's, he forgot it. He's going to need it though; it's got his assignment in it that's due tomorrow." Ronnie replied. "Can you guys tell Annie that I'll be home a bit later? I'm going to walk over to Chad's house and drop it off."
"Do you even know where he lives?" Simon asked doubtfully.
"Of course I do; he's my best friend." Ronnie replied defensively.
"Okay, okay, it's just I don't remember you ever going over to his house." Simon pointed out. Ronnie knew Simon was right. Chad had never invited her over to his house; usually they hung out at her house, or at the Promenade or the pool hall.
"I haven't, but he's told me where he lives. It's not far from here. I'll be home by 4:00p.m." Ronnie explained.
"I don't think mom's going to be too happy, especially if you've got an assignment due tomorrow." Lucy said disapprovingly. Ronnie rolled her eyes.
"Look my assignment is done and I'll run. She won't mind. I'll see you guys later." Ronnie ran off, leaving Simon and Lucy behind to wait for their mother.
Ronnie turned left onto Krad Street, which she knew Chad lived on. She had never been here before and she immediately felt chills run down her spine as she gazed around and was frightened by the similarity between this neighbourhood and her old neighbourhood where she grew up with her mom and dad. There were rundown houses with dirt instead of grass for a front lawn, with broken windows and doors. A strange smell filled the street; Ronnie guessed it was the smell of garbage. There was garbage everywhere on Oakdale Drive too. Ronnie thought, remembering her old neighbourhood. She tried not to think about those days as she approached number 63, which she almost missed because the 3 had fallen off the door. She knocked on the door and could hear a lot of noise on the other side of the door, but it was muffled. Ronnie knocked again. She waited until she finally heard footsteps approaching. The heavy green door was pulled open. Chad peeked around the door and puckered his brow.
"What are you doing here?" He whispered. It was Ronnie's turn to be confused.
"Why are you whispering?" She asked. Chad sighed and shrugged his shoulders.
"Not important. Seriously though, why are you here?" He asked. Ronnie felt like something strange was going on; Chad was acting strangely.
"Chad are you mad at me or something?" She asked, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
"No, of course not, I… Alright I'm sorry Ron. I didn't mean to freak out; I just didn't expect you, that's all." He replied, turning back to look into the house every now and then.
"I know, but you left your binder at school. I figured you might need it since the history assignment is due tomorrow. I know you haven't finished it yet." Ronnie smiled, feeling like she knew Chad too well. Chad smiled nervously.
"Oh yeah, that's me, always forgetful." He said.
"Listen if you need help with it, give me a call. You can even come over if you want. I'm sure Eric and Annie wouldn't mind. I'd have to ask, but I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem." Ronnie said as she handed the binder over to Chad through the door.
"Thanks, I might take you up on that." He said with a slight grin.
"Take you up on what?" A rough voice asked behind Chad. Chad closed his eyes as a tall, overbearing figure appeared in the doorway next to Chad. He was rough-looking; with torn jeans and a baggy T-shirt. His hair looked like it had never been brushed and his teeth were yellowish. In his hand, he was holding a bottle of beer, which he tapped against his thigh rhythmically.
"Nothing dad, I was just talking." Chad said quietly. His voice seemed to change, as though he acted differently around his father than he did with Ronnie.
"Well isn't that just lovely?" Chad's father, Luke, said sarcastically as he cocked his head back and forth. His words ran together and were slurred slightly, sometimes difficult to understand. Ronnie could smell an overwhelming amount of alcohol coming from this man. Just like dad.
"So are you gonna introduce me to your girlfriend or what?" Luke swayed a bit as he spoke, laughing a little at a joke nobody caught.
"She's not my girlfriend dad, she's my friend." Chad explained and Ronnie held back a smile. The two got that question a lot at school. Even Mary and Lucy were curious a couple of times.
"Sure, sure, whatever. So what's yer name girlie?" Luke asked as he paused to look at her, up and down. Ronnie immediately felt uncomfortable. He took a deep breath in and made a strange grunting sound. Ronnie tried to ignore his eyes moving along her body.
"I'm Ronnie." She said quietly. Luke smiled strangely and his eyes never met hers. They were still focused elsewhere.
"Well, well, R-R-Ravishing R-R-Ronnie." He rolled his R's as he spoke. "Aren't you just about the prettiest thing I ever did see?" Ronnie wanted to go home.
"I'll call you later Ronnie." Chad shrugged apologetically as Ronnie began to back away from the door.
"Well now that's if I decide to let you use the phone, punk." Luke said as Chad tried to close the door, but Luke held it open, watching Ronnie walk down the street.
"R-R-Ravishing R-R-Ronnie." He slurred quietly as he turned back to Chad. "Now, where were we?"
"I'm sorry Annie." Ronnie apologized. She had only walked through the front door a few minutes earlier and Annie had already approached her, a little upset.
"Ronnie, it was nice of you to return the binder to your friend, but I could have driven you. I don't like you going to those parts of the neighbourhood. They're dangerous." Annie had said.
"But I grew up in that kind of neighbourhood. They don't feel dangerous to me." Ronnie tried to argue, but Annie wouldn't hear of it.
"Sweetie, I know you don't think they are, but they are. I'm a parent, I know these things. Next time you want to go to Chad's house, I will drive you, or Eric will. But I don't want you going there alone again, understand?" Annie wasn't angry, just worried. Ronnie had her head down.
"I'm sorry Annie." She apologized.
"You're not in trouble; I'm just telling you why I don't want you to go there." Annie said. Ronnie felt a chill run down her spine as she could hear Luke's slurred words. R-R-Ravishing R-R-Ronnie.
"Are you alright honey?" Annie asked. Ronnie nodded. He was probably just drunk. Dad used to say stupid things too.
"Well you should probably get started on your homework. Matt's coming over for dinner tonight, so dinner will be around 6:00p.m. okay?" Annie said as she opened the refrigerator. Ronnie nodded.
"Is it okay if Chad comes over later? I don't know for sure if he will but he might need some help with his history assignment." She said.
"What about your history assignment?" Annie asked.
"It's finished."
"That's fine then. Remember, visitors only until 9:00p.m. on a school night."
"I know." Ronnie ran upstairs to her bedroom, plopping her stuff down on her bed. She couldn't stop thinking about Chad's father. R-R-Ravishing R-R-Ronnie. She closed her eyes. Stop thinking about it. It had frightened her, the way he had looked at her, but she dismissed it, blaming it on the alcohol.
"Hey sis." Ronnie looked up and Mary was standing in the doorway.
"Hi Mary." Ronnie said with a smile. "You scared me. I didn't know you were standing there."
"Sorry. The phone's for you." Mary walked in and handed the cordless phone to Ronnie, who puckered her brow.
"I didn't hear the phone ring." She pointed out.
"Yeah I'm on the other line with Wilson, so make it quick okay?" Mary sounded impatient. Ronnie rolled her eyes and took the phone. Wilson was a friend of Mary's who everybody knew she had feelings for, but she would never admit it.
"Hello?" Ronnie answered. Mary made herself comfortable on Ronnie's bed, waiting for the phone.
"Hey Ron, it's Chad." Chad said on the other line.
"Oh hi Chad, what's up?" Ronnie asked. Mary raised an eyebrow and grinned at Ronnie, who threw a pillow at her.
"I'm sorry about my dad, he does that with everybody." Chad sounded really sorry.
"It's not your fault, you shouldn't apologize. Is…your dad…does he…I mean does he drink?" Ronnie felt guilty asking, but Chad answered right away, not even considering her question.
"No, he doesn't! I mean…occasionally he does, but who doesn't, right?" He responded, his tone rising a bit.
"I guess. It's just, he seemed like maybe he was, I don't know, drunk." Ronnie didn't want to assume things that weren't true, but wanted to be sure.
"He might have been, a little bit, but it's not like he's out of control."
"Would you tell me if he was?" Ronnie had asked the question without even thinking about it. She felt worried. It's probably just paranoia. She figured she was just remembering too much about her own parents.
"What are you talking about Ronnie? My dad's fine and so am I. Why would you think any differently?" Chad asked, a little defensively.
"I don't know, I'm sorry. I just want you to know you can talk to me. You're my best friend, that's all." Ronnie replied, tugging on her hair. It was a strange quirk she had acquired whenever she became nervous about things.
"I know Ron, you're mine too. Anyways, I gotta go." Chad said, as his voice seemed to break.
"You okay?" Ronnie asked.
"Yeah, I just have to start my homework."
"Are you coming tonight?"
"No, I can't."
"Alright." Ronnie could tell Chad was in a rush. "Then I'll see you at school tomorrow."
"Bye." Chad hung up before Ronnie even had a chance to say goodbye. She puckered her brow and handed the phone to Mary as she opened up her math textbook. Mary took the phone and linked back to the other line, but Wilson had already hung up.
"Hung up." Mary said as she put the phone down.
"Sorry." Ronnie replied, a little distractedly, playing with her hair again. Mary noticed.
"Everything okay?" She asked, sitting down on her bed again. Ronnie looked up.
"What makes you think there's something wrong?" She wondered.
"The hair thing." Mary admitted. Ronnie had to smile. They know me too well.
"I'm fine." Ronnie said. I am fine. He was just a little drunk, no big deal. Chad's fine and so am I. It just scared me a little. No use making a big deal about it.
"Ronnie? Are you sure?" Mary asked again. Ronnie nodded.
"Of course I'm sure." She replied with a smile. As Mary left the room, Ronnie pushed the memory from her mind, not allowing herself to think about it anymore. It's not like I'll ever see him again. Chad never invites me over. She began to do her math homework.